Cessna 172S accident near Denver, Colorado, February 28, 2026
On February 28, 2026 at about 6:45 pm local time, a 2005 Cessna 172S, registered N1071Z, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Denver, Colorado (Centennial Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. 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 which resulted in substantial damage to the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 28, 2026 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Denver, Colorado · Centennial Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172S, built 2005 · all 172Ss on the register
- Registration
- N1071Z · registry record · serial 172S9826
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was landing the airplane after a solo practice flight. During the landing he recalled that the airplane touched down for a few seconds then went airborne again a few feet above the runway. The pilot lowered the nose of the airplane and the airplane landed hard and flat. A security camera video of the event showed the airplane dip momentarily on short final before touch down, followed by a bounced landing where pitch was held relatively steady, followed by a second bounce. The nose of the airplane pitched down and the airplane touched down nose landing gear first, followed by another bounce up and another pitch down after which the airplane stayed on the runway and rolled out. Post event inspection of the airplane showed that the fuselage sustained substantial damage. 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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing defining event
- Miscellaneous/other during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Student/instructed pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 159 hours in all; 149 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 11 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,528.8 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 17, 2026
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 8,034 hours total
- Operator: Aspen Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: KAPA Centennial CO at 5:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35L, 7,001 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 14,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 1°F (-17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 am from KAPA, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KAPA 281853Z 05004KT 10SM FEW140 FEW220 18/M17 A3004 RMK AO2 SLP143 T01781172=
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
4 documents, released by the NTSB on April 30, 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 - Student Pilot | PDF, 13 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 - Operator | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Photos | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 4 | Video File | AVI file | Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N1071Z the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN26LA133.