Cessna 172N accident near Newcastle, Wyoming, May 10, 2013
On May 10, 2013 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N7610F, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Newcastle, Wyoming (Mondell Field 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 failure to attain the proper touchdown point, which resulted in an undershoot of the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 10, 2013 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Newcastle, Wyoming · Mondell Field Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N7610F · no longer on the register · serial 17273268
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot stated that while on final approach for landing, about 20 feet above ground level and about 15 feet from the approach end of the runway, the airplane began to sink and that it touched down hard off the runway surface. The nose wheel dug into the terrain, and the airplane nosed over resulting in substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and rudder. The 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
- Loss of lift during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Landing area undershoot during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Nose over/nose down 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 › (general) › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › (general) › Contributed to outcome
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 53 hours in all; 53 in this make and model
- Last flight review: May 10, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Flightline INC
The flight
- Departed from: GCC Gillette WY at 3:40 pm
- Destination: KECS Newcastle WY
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 31, 5,300 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.19 inHg
- Observation at 4:15 pm from KECS, 1 miles away
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.