# Accident 19970819023039A: Cessna 172N, Prescott, AZ, August 19, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 19, 1997, 11:40 local time
- Place: Prescott, AZ
- Airport: Ernest A Love Field
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: BF8S
- Location: 34.6207° N, 112.4190° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.6207&lon=-112.4190&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3266E, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3266E) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172N (registry code 2072434, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O-360 series (registry code 41575, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172N
- Reported engine: LYC O360A4M
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 64 total, 64 in this make and model, 17 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX97LA295](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX97LA295) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970819023039A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

AIRCRAFT BOUNCED ON LANDING AND NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. (.4) THE PILOT LANDED HARD AND FLAT. THE AIRCRAFT PORPOISED, PITCHED OVER, AND STRUCK THE GROUND IN A NOSE-LOW ATTITUDE. THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED BACK UP, LANDED HARD, AND CAME TO REST UPRIGHT ON THE RUNWAY. ACCORDING TO THE FLIGHT SCHOOL'S OPERATIONS MANUAL, SOLO PILOTS ARE PROHIBITED FROM LANDING ON RUNWAY 3L/21R EXCEPT WHEN NECESSARY FOR THE SAFETY OF FLIGHT, BECAUSE THERE ARE 10-FEET-DEEP DRAINAGE DITCHES THAT RUN ALONG EITHER SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE SCHOOL REPORTED THAT THEY HAD BEEN INFORMED THAT RUNWAY 3R/21L WOULD BE CLOSED AT 1200 AND ONLY 3L/21R WOULD BE AVAILABLE. THE SCHOOL FLIGHT SUPERVISOR STATED THAT HE ENSURED THAT ALL SOLO STUDENTS WOULD BE BACK PRIOR TO THE RUNWAY CLOSURE; HOWEVER, THE AIRPORT CLOSED THE RUNWAYS 30 MINUTES EARLY AND THE FLIGHT SCHOOL WAS NOT INFORMED.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX97LA295](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX97LA295), Aug 19, 1997: Cessna 172N (N3266E), Prescott, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate recovery from a bounced landing.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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