# Accident 19990710008939A: Cessna 172M, Fresno, CA, July 10, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: July 10, 1999, 08:00 local time - Place: Fresno, CA - Airport: Sierra Sky Park Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 36.7994° N, 119.7995° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.7994&lon=-119.7995&mi=10 - Aircraft: N73113, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N73113) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 172M (registry code 2072418, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172M - Reported engine: LYC O320E2D - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 85 total, 16 in this make and model, 16 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX99LA250](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA250) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990710008939A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ACFT LANDED HARD AND SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. (.19) ON JULY 10, 1999, AT 0800 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 172, N73113, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING A HARD LANDING AT SIERRA SKY PARK NEAR FRESNO, CALIFORNIA. THE RENTED AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATED BY CENTRAL CALIFORNIA AVIATION INC. UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. THE PRIVATE PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED. THE PILOT DEPARTED FRESNO YOSEMITE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ABOUT 0745 FOR A PERSONAL FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PILOT TOLD A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION INSPECTOR HE WAS LANDING ON RUNWAY 30. THE AIRPLANE FLOATED DOWN THE RUNWAY THEN EXPERIENCED A HARD BOUNCE ON THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY A HARD LANDING ON THE NOSE LANDING GEAR, AND THE NOSE TIRE WENT FLAT. SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION BY THE OPERATOR'S MECHANIC REVEALED STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE FIREWALL. (.4)ON JULY 10, 1999, AT 0800 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 172M, N73113, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING A HARD LANDING AT SIERRA SKY PARK NEAR FRESNO, CALIFORNIA. THE RENTED AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED BY CENTRAL CALIFORNIA AVIATION, INC., UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. THE PRIVATE PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED. THE PILOT DEPARTED FRESNO YOSEMITE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (FAT) ABOUT 0745 FOR A PERSONAL FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED.THE PILOT STATED HE FLEW OVER THE AIRPORT AND DETERMINED THE LIGHT WINDS WERE FAVORABLE FOR LANDING ON RUNWAY 30. ON FINAL APPROACH HE SET THE FLAPS TO 30 DEGREES AND MAINTAINED 68 TO 70 KNOTS. ABOUT 1/8 MILE FROM THE RUNWAY, HE REDUCED POWER TO IDLE. HE BEGAN HIS FLARE OVER THE RUNWAY NUMBERS AND NOTED THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO FLOAT OVER THE RUNWAY. HE STATED HE GENTLY RAISED THE NOSE AND HEARD THE STALL WARNING HORN; HOWEVER, THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO FLOAT. THE AIRPLANE DROPPED ONTO THE MAIN GEAR, THEN BOUNCED INTO THE AIR. THE NOSE GEAR THEN TOUCHED DOWN AND THE PILOT SAID HE WAS IMMEDIATELY AWARE THAT THE NOSE TIRE HAD BLOWN. THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED INTO THE AIR AGAIN, THE PILOT ADDED POWER, KEPT THE CONTROL YOKE BACK, SETTLED ONTO THE RUNWAY, AND STOPPED. HE THEN TAXIED TO A PARKING SPOT. THE OPERATOR DISPATCHED A MECHANIC TO REPLACE THE NOSE TIRE, AND THAT WORK WAS COMPLETED ABOUT 1230. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE PILOT THE AIRPLANE WAS READY FOR FLIGHT. THE PILOT DEPARTED ABOUT 1330 AND RETURNED TO FRESNO. SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION REVEALED THE FIREWALL WAS WRINKLED (-23)^PRIVACY DA^ WAS CONDUCTING A VFR PLEASURE FLIGHT FROM FAT TO Q60 ON 07/10/1999. AT APPROXIMATELY 0800 PDT, WHILE LANDING AT Q60, THE AIRCRAFT FLOATED DURING THE FLARE AND THEN EXPERIENCED A HARD BOUNCE ON THE MAIN LANDING GEAR FOLLOWED BY A HARD LANDING ON THE NOSE GEAR. THIS CAUSED THE NOSE TIRE TO GO FLAT. SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION REVELAED STRUCTURAL DAMAGE IN THE ENGINE FIREWALL AREA. THERE WERE NO PASSENGERS ON BOARD AND THERE WERE NO INJURES. ## 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 LAX99LA250](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA250), Jul 10, 1999: Cessna 172M (N73113), Fresno, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's misjudged landing flare and inadequate recovery procedures from the subsequent 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.