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Bounced Landing Precedes Runway Excursion and Nose-Over on Crosswind Approach

Madison, IN, United States

On March 3, 2020, a Cessna 172 N operated by HONAKER GROUP LLC was involved in an aviation accident near Madison, IN. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The flight instructor's failure to maintain directional control during landing in gusting crosswind conditions, which resulted in a runway excursion and nose-over. 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

During a training flight with gusty crosswinds, an instructor took control for the third approach. The airplane bounced on touchdown, exited the runway into soft mud, and nosed over, sustaining substantial damage to the left wing lift strut.

Incident Overview

A flight instructor and a student were conducting a training flight. During the third approach to landing, the instructor took the controls and informed the student that he would land the airplane. The airplane was configured with minimal flaps due to gusting crosswind conditions.

Landing Sequence

As the airplane touched down, the wind shifted from a quartering headwind to a direct crosswind. The airplane bounced on touchdown and subsequently exited the right side of the runway. It entered a soft mud surface adjacent to the runway and nosed over.

Weather Conditions

A METAR at the accident airport indicated that around the time of the accident, the wind was from 260 degrees at 17 knots, gusting to 25 knots. The airplane was landing on runway 21.

Aircraft Damage

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing lift strut. No other damage items were specified in the source.

Occupants

The source does not specify the number of occupants or any injuries. No mention of injuries or fatalities is present in the report.

Contributing factors

Instructor/check pilotDirectional control — Not attained/maintainedEffect on operation
Runway excursion

Related events

Same aircraft family

  • 24 Sep 2026 — CESSNA 172B
  • 23 Sep 2026 — CESSNA 172
  • 18 Sep 2026 — CESSNA 172
  • 16 Sep 2026 — CESSNA 172M (CK Aviation LLC)
  • 9 Sep 2026 — CESSNA 172
  • 8 Sep 2026 — CESSNA 172N
  • 7 Sep 2026 — CESSNA 172N (Tin Cup Investments INC)
  • 24 Aug 2026 — CESSNA 172M
  • 21 Aug 2026 — CESSNA 172P (Vascular Wings LLC)
  • 18 Aug 2026 — CESSNA 172L (Ocala Aviation Services INC)
  • 16 Aug 2026 — CESSNA 172L (Foothill Aircraft Sales and Service Inc.)
  • 9 Aug 2026 — CESSNA 172N (Kimber 123 Holdings LLC)

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Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 3 Mar 2020 Cessna 172 N accident near Madison, IN?

During a training flight with gusty crosswinds, an instructor took control for the third approach. The airplane bounced on touchdown, exited the runway into soft mud, and nosed over, sustaining substantial damage to the left wing lift strut.

Were there any fatalities in the 3 Mar 2020 Cessna 172 N accident?

No fatalities were recorded in this accident.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 3 Mar 2020 involved a Cessna 172 N, operated by HONAKER GROUP LLC, at Madison, IN.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The flight instructor's failure to maintain directional control during landing in gusting crosswind conditions, which resulted in a runway excursion and nose-over.

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