Cessna CE-172M accident near San Antonio, Texas, May 18, 2008
On May 18, 2008 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Cessna CE-172M, registered N1281U, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near San Antonio, Texas (San Antonio Intl airport). It was an instructional 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 pilots improper short field landing procedure and excessive rate of descent. A contributing factor was the student pilots 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
- May 18, 2008 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- San Antonio, Texas · San Antonio Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna CE-172M
- Registration
- N1281U · no longer on the register · serial 17266976
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot stated on the pilot operator report that she was 1,000 feet above the runway and three miles out on a straight in approach to a 5,000 foot long runway when she decided to make a short field landing. The pilot "heard a pop sound" when the nose wheel touched on the first impact and the airplane bounced two more times before landing. The hard landing caused structural damage to the wing spar and to the nose gear and firewall. The student pilot was unable to taxi because of the blown nose tire.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent rate › Incorrect use/operation
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 85 hours in all; 85 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 2 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13,728 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 1, 2008; 71 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Wright Flyers Aviation INC
The flight
- Departed from: SAT San Antonio TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30R, 5,519 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.84 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from KSAT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.