Cessna 172S N1071Z

Summary

On 28 February 2026 at about 18:45 local time, a Cessna 172S registered N1071Z, operated by Aspen Flying Club, was involved in an accident near Denver, Colorado, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

28 February 2026 at 18:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Denver, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

Centennial Airport (KAPA)

Coordinates

39.5701, -104.8493

Aircraft

Cessna 172S

Registration

N1071Z

Category

Airplane

Year built

2005

Engines

1

Operator

Aspen Flying Club

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Centennial → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN26LA133

Nobody was injured.

The solo student pilot's improper landing flare and subsequent improper recovery from a bounced landing which resulted in substantial damage to the airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB 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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.