Textron Aviation INC 172 accident near Columbus, Ohio, November 14, 2017
On November 14, 2017 at about 3:35 pm local time, a 2015 Textron Aviation INC 172, registered N30SU, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Columbus, Ohio (Ohio State University 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 porpoise.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 14, 2017 · about 3:35 pm local time
- Place
- Columbus, Ohio · Ohio State University · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Textron Aviation INC 172 S, built 2015
- Registration
- N30SU · registry record · serial 172S11625
- 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 a touch-and-go landing, the airplane landed flat. He added that the airplane porpoised and that he heard a "thump." The student pilot performed a go-around, entered the traffic pattern, and landed without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident 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 defining event
- Loss of control on ground during landing
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 47 hours in all; 47 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 1 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,308.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 27, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 2,558 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 1,309 hours total
- Operator: Ohio State University Airport
The flight
- Departed from: OSU Columbus OH at 3:20 pm
- Destination: OSU Columbus OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27L, 5,004 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.39 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from KOSU
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on December 18, 2017. 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 | Accident Photos (Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 2 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.