Grob-Werke G 120A accident near Buckeye, Arizona, August 24, 2010
On August 24, 2010 at about 9:07 pm local time, a Grob-Werke G 120A, registered N865AF, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Buckeye, Arizona (Buckeye Municipal 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 flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 24, 2010 · about 9:07 pm local time
- Place
- Buckeye, Arizona · Buckeye Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grob-Werke G 120A
- Registration
- N865AF · registry record · serial 85005
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot reported that during his first solo flight the first touchdown was smooth; however, the airplane bounced and became airborne. The second touchdown was much firmer. On the third touchdown the airplane impacted the ground in a nose-low attitude, whereupon the nose gear assembly and several structural components in the composite fuselage broke.
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 (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (flare/touchdown)
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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 40 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,249 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, August 15, 2010; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,285 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-540 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Airline Training Center Arizona INC
The flight
- Departed from: BXK Buckeye AZ at 9:00 pm
- Destination: BXK Buckeye AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 5,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds
- Temperature: 108°F (42°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
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.
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.