Cessna 172M accident near Twin Falls, Idaho, July 1, 2010
On July 1, 2010 at about 2:08 am local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N64427, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Twin Falls, Idaho (Magic Valley 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.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 1, 2010 · about 2:08 am local time
- Place
- Twin Falls, Idaho · Magic Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N64427 · registry record · serial 17265219
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that on landing he touched down on the main landing gear but with the nose low. The airplane ballooned slightly, and the pilot applied power to ease the descent. The main landing gear touched down a second time and the pilot held "as much back pressure" as he could on the yoke. When the nose gear touched the ground the pilot heard a "grinding" noise and the airplane "began to buck," then veered to the left but stayed on the runway. The propeller then struck the runway, resulting in substantial damage to the firewall. When the pilot climbed out of the airplane, he observed that the nose gear tire was flat and the oleo strut was empty of fluid. The pilot reported that there was no mechanical malfunction or failure with the airplane before the 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
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 33 hours in all; 33 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 4 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,823 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 21, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Avcenter Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: KBOI Boise ID at 1:20 am
- Destination: KTWF Twin Falls ID
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 25, 8,703 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 am from TWF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N64427 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.