Cessna R172K accident near Page, Arizona, July 1, 2009
On July 1, 2009 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Cessna R172K, registered N1055V, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Page, Arizona (Page Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were 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 and inadequate recovery from a bounced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 1, 2009 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Page, Arizona · Page Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna R172K · all R172Ks on the register
- Registration
- N1055V · registry record · serial R1722095
- 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 landing, the airplane touched down hard and bounced about 10 feet into the air. During the second bounce, the airplane flew in a nose-high pitch attitude until the airspeed bled off, then the airplane touched down hard a third time. The pilot taxied to the ramp and requested that a local mechanic inspect the airplane for obvious evidence of external damage. The mechanic accomplished an external inspection without looking inside the airplane or removing the engine's cowling and reported no obvious external damage. The pilot continued her cross-country flight and, a few days later, concluded the flight and returned the airplane to the fixed base operator. Several days after that, it was determined that the firewall had been substantially damaged, consistent with a hard landing accident.
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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 194 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 36 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 26, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,464 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 13, 2009; 57 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-360-K (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Spitfire Aviation, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: IGM Kingman AZ at 2:00 pm
- Destination: PGA Page AZ
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 15, 5,950 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from PGA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.