No fatalities

Hard Landing Results in Substantial Fuselage Damage

Sparta, MI, United States

On August 12, 2017, a CESSNA 182 P was involved in an aviation accident near Sparta, MI. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-08-03Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot reported a hard landing and bounce, followed by a go-around. After landing and taxiing, substantial fuselage damage was discovered during a preflight walkaround.

Incident Overview

A pilot reported that during a previous flight, the airplane experienced a hard landing and bounced. In response, the pilot performed a go-around, after which the airplane was landed and taxied to the ramp without further incident.

Discovery of Damage

Later that same day, before another flight, the pilot conducted a walkaround inspection of the airplane. During this inspection, it was observed that the fuselage had sustained substantial damage. The damage was attributed to the hard landing during the previous flight.

Mechanical Status

The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Contributing factors

PilotLanding flare — Not attained/maintained