Cessna 172 accident near Hillsboro, Texas, June 9, 2018
On June 9, 2018 at about 5:00 pm local time, a 2004 Cessna 172, registered N363CK, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Hillsboro, Texas (Hillsboro Muni airport). 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 pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a bounced landing and subsequent porpoise.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 9, 2018 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Hillsboro, Texas · Hillsboro Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 S, built 2004 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N363CK · registry record · serial 172S9634
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, during a touch-and-go, he came in too fast, and the airplane landed hard and bounced. He added that he should have gone around but chose to "ride it out." Subsequently, the airplane porpoised, the nosewheel collapsed, and the airplane came to rest nose down on the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system at the accident airport reported that, about 5 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 180° at 8 knots and that, about 15 minutes after the accident, the wind was 170° at 8 knots, gusting to 15 knots. The pilot landed on runway 16.
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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing defining event
- Landing gear collapse during landing
- Nose over/nose down during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 99 hours in all; 97 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 19 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 21, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,457 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aviator Air LLC
The flight
- Departed from: GPM Grand Prairie TX at 4:30 pm
- Destination: INJ Hillsboro TX
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 16, 3,998 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,800 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from KINJ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on September 10, 2018. 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 Picture | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Pilot Record of Conversation | PDF, 1 page | 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.