Cessna 172 accident near Auburn, Maine, July 9, 2020
On July 9, 2020 at about 5:00 pm local time, a 1997 Cessna 172, registered N722SA, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Auburn, Maine (Auburn/Lewiston Muni 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 pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing on the nosegear and nosegear collapse.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 9, 2020 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Auburn, Maine · Auburn/Lewiston Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 R, built 1997 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N722SA · registry record · serial 17280026
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The solo student pilot reported that, during the landing flare, the airplane floated, and she believed that she intuitively released back pressure to get the airplane to land. Subsequently, the nose landing gear impacted the runway first and collapsed, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage and firewall. The student pilot reported there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions 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 (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Landing gear collapse during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 148.6 hours in all; 148.6 in this make and model; 13.8 in the last 90 days; 7.4 in the last 30 days; 8.1 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,555.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 18, 2020
- Maximum gross weight: 2,299 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 4,062 hours total
- Operator: L-A Pilots Club Llc
The flight
- Departed from: LEW Auburn ME at 4:11 pm
- Destination: LEW Auburn ME
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 04, 5,001 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:56 pm from LEW
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on October 9, 2020. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot Statements | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Mor FAA Inspector Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Photographs | PDF, 6 pages | 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.