Cessna 172M accident near El Dorado, Arkansas, August 2, 2005
On August 2, 2005 at about 3:36 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N80735, was substantially damaged in an accident near El Dorado, Arkansas (Goodwin Field). 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 student pilot's improper landing flare resulting in a hard landing and his improper recovery procedures for a bounced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 2, 2005 · about 3:36 pm local time
- Place
- El Dorado, Arkansas · Goodwin Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N80735 · registry record · serial 17266722
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 34-hour student pilot stated, while landing on Runway 13, the airplane "bounced and began to porpoise." The student pilot stated that the airplane "porpoised 4 or 5 times, the front landing gear broke and the propeller made contact with the tarmac." The pilot further reported that he was able to steer the airplane off the runway and onto a taxiway by using the rudder.
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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 34 hours in all; 34 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,860 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 2004; 20 hours since
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: F43 El Dorado AR
- Destination: F43 El Dorado AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 5,100 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from KELD
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.