Cessna 172P accident near Moultonborough, New Hampshire, July 27, 2024
On July 27, 2024 at about 5:18 pm local time, a 1981 Cessna 172P, registered N291RP, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Moultonborough, New Hampshire (Moultonborough 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 remedial response to a bounced landing, which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 27, 2024 · about 5:18 pm local time
- Place
- Moultonborough, New Hampshire · Moultonborough · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P, built 1981 · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N291RP · registry record · serial 17274327
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot reported that after completing 3 three takeoffs and landings with his instructor, he departed on the supervised solo instructional flight. He completed one traffic pattern, determined he was “a little high” and performed a go go-around. During the second approach, he said that at 60 knots, the nosewheel struck the runway first. His remedial action was to “pull back on the control yoke to correct the attitude of the plane” but the nose “ballooned” up and the airplane landed hard on the nose landing gear, separating it, and substantially damaging the airplane. The operator and the flight instructor reported that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane that would have prevented 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
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 41.2 hours in all; 41.2 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,991 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 5, 2024; 47 hours since
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 9,369 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 02, 3,505 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 1:15 pm from 1P1, 16 miles away
Weather report (METAR): K1P1 271715Z AUTO 26003KT 10SM CLR 27/12 A3013 RMK AO2 T02680120
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 4 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photo 1 – Aft Quartering View of Airplane as Found (FAA)
Photo 2 – Front Quartering View of Airplane as Found (FAA)
Photo 3 – View of Wrinkled Cabin Structure (FAA)
Photo 4 – View of Fractured Nose Landing Gear (N/L/G) Mount Structure Attached to Separated N/L/G (FAA)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
6 documents, released by the NTSB on March 20, 2025. 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 Memorandum for Record | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Student Pilot's Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Inspector's Statement | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 4 | FAA Inspector's Statement (Email Excerpt) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Annual Inspection | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Photo Array | PDF, 4 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.
Other NTSB records under N291RP the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.