Cessna 172C accident near Grants Pass, Oregon, May 7, 2011
On May 7, 2011 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172C, registered N8287X, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Grants Pass, Oregon (Grants Pass 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 student pilot's failure to maintain an adequate airspeed on approach, 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
- May 7, 2011 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Grants Pass, Oregon · Grants Pass · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172C · all 172Cs on the register
- Registration
- N8287X · registry record · serial 17248787
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot stated that he was practicing short field landings and configured the airplane with full flaps on the approach. The student pilot reduced power too early for the airplane configuration, which caused a loss of airspeed and a subsequent hard landing. During subsequent annual maintenance, a mechanic noted that the firewall was bent. The student pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
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 › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine controls › Power lever › Incorrect use/operation
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 140 hours in all; 140 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: March 6, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,951 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 30, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 2,250 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-300 SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3S8 Grants Pass OR at 5:00 pm
- Destination: 3S8 Grants Pass OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 4,001 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from KMFR
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 N8287X 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.