Cessna 172 N51204

Summary

On 28 January 2026 at about 15:07 local time, a Cessna 172 registered N51204, operated by Purdue Aviation LLC, was involved in an accident near Lafayette, Indiana, United States. 2 people were 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 January 2026 at 15:07

Classification

Accident

Location

Lafayette, Indiana, United States

Coordinates

40.1710, -86.9580

Aircraft

Cessna 172

Registration

N51204

Category

Airplane

Year built

1980

Engines

1

Operator

Purdue Aviation LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Lafayette → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN26LA106

Nobody was injured.

The flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the student during a stall recovery that developed into unusual attitude and exceedance of the airplane’s never exceed airspeed which resulted in structural damage to the airplane.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The flight instructor and student departed on a local instructional flight which was the student pilot’s third flight lesson to practice maneuvers. During a power-off stall recovery, the student pilot excessively pitched the airplane down and added full throttle. The student pilot froze on the controls and before the flight instructor could gain control of the airplane, the airplane accelerated past the “never exceed” (Vne) airspeed. The flight instructor slowed the airplane below Vne and gently recovered the airplane out of the dive. Suspecting structural damage, the pilot declared an emergency and return back to the airport without further incident. A post flight examination found damage to both wings and vertical stabilizer. The flight instructor reported that the accident could have been prevented with a “[m]ore complete briefing prior to completing any training maneuver” and “[p]roper preparedness to respond to incorrect/dangerous student actions.” The 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.