Cessna 172 accident near North La Junta, Colorado, October 2, 2025
On October 2, 2025 at about 11:38 pm local time, a 2000 Cessna 172, registered N617SP, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near North La Junta, Colorado (La Junta Muni airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The solo student pilot’s improper landing flare and subsequent improper recovery from a bounced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 2, 2025 · about 11:38 pm local time
- Place
- North La Junta, Colorado · La Junta Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 S, built 2000 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N617SP · registry record · serial 172S8606
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the solo student pilot, the airplane bounced during the landing. She continued the landing, and on the last bounce, the left main landing gear went off the runway. The airplane exited the runway, and the pilot attempted to stop the airplane. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing, engine mount, and lower fuselage. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Student/instructed pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 61 hours in all; 61 in this make and model; 28.1 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 5.7 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,013.1 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 22, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 15,241 hours total
- Operator: Edb Air INC
The flight
- Departed from: PUB Pueblo CO at 11:08 pm
- Destination: LHX La Junta CO
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 08/2, 6,849 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from KLAA, 39 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KLAA 022353Z AUTO 14010KT 10SM CLR 29/07 A3012 RMK AO2 SLP161 T02940072 10322 20267 55003=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on February 12, 2026. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.