N1071Z accident

NTSB CEN26LA133 · 2026-02-28 · Denver, CO · near KAPA

Docket — crew, injuries and powerplant

Factual narrative

The student pilot was landing the airplane after a solo practice flight. During the landing he recalled that the airplane touched down for a few seconds then went airborne again a few feet above the runway. The pilot lowered the nose of the airplane and the airplane landed hard and flat. A security camera video of the event showed the airplane dip momentarily on short final before touch down, followed by a bounced landing where pitch was held relatively steady, followed by a second bounce. The nose of the airplane pitched down and the airplane touched down nose landing gear first, followed by another bounce up and another pitch down after which the airplane stayed on the runway and rolled out. Post event inspection of the airplane showed that the fuselage sustained substantial damage. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Probable cause

The solo student pilot's improper landing flare and subsequent improper recovery from a bounced landing which resulted in substantial damage to the airplane. The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident.

Circumstances

Event type

Accident

Highest injury

None

Weather conditions

Visual Meteorological Cond

Light condition

Day

Ceiling (ft)

0

Visibility (sm)

10

Wind direction

50

Wind speed (kt)

4

Temperature (F)

64

Nearest airport

Centennial Airport

Distance from field

0.5

Airport elevation

5885

Aircraft

Sequence of events

Findings