Cessna 172 accident near Troy, Michigan, July 2, 2018
On July 2, 2018 at about 11:20 am local time, a 1980 Cessna 172, registered N6508K, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Troy, Michigan (Oakland/Troy 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot’s failure to maintain a proper landing flare, which resulted in a hard, porpoised landing during an aborted go-around.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 2, 2018 · about 11:20 am local time
- Place
- Troy, Michigan · Oakland/Troy · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 P, built 1980 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N6508K · registry record · serial 17274205
- 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 landing, the airplane slowed, and the stall warning sounded as the main landing gear contacted the runway. He added that it appeared that the airplane had landed, but he then observed the nose drop below the horizon. He added power to go around, but the nosewheel impacted the runway, and the airplane pitched "rearward." Subsequently, the airplane porpoised, the nose landing gear strut collapsed, and he aborted the go-around. The student taxied the airplane to park without further incident. The flight instructor reported that he witnessed that the airplane on approach was a little flat but did not appear to be unstable. The student then pitched the airplane for the numbers, the airplane floated down the runway, and it then touched down in a flat attitude. Subsequently, the airplane bounced 2 to 3 ft, porpoised, and the student was then able to taxi from the runway. The flight instructor added that the student was too late on the flare and that all of the energy came down on the nosewheel. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The student 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 airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 250° at 7 knots. The student pilot landed the airplane on runway 27.
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 defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing
- Loss of control on ground during landing
- Landing gear collapse 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: 46.5 hours in all; 40.5 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,945 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 30, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A4M (piston); 320 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VLL Troy MI at 11:00 am
- Destination: VLL Troy MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 3,549 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 250° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 11:22 am from KVLL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N6508K the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number GAA18CA391.