# Accident 20100725055579A: Cessna 172S, Santa Maria, CA, July 25, 2010

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 25, 2010, 13:00 local time
- Place: Santa Maria, CA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.8989° N, 120.4575° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.8989&lon=-120.4575&mi=10
- Aircraft: N172CY, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N172CY) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172S (registry code 2072439, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming I0360 SER A&C (registry code 41511, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-ser-a-c) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172S
- Reported engine: LYCOMING I0360 SER A&C
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 35 total, 29 in this make and model, 0 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR10CA475](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR10CA475) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100725055579A

## Narrative

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

NTSB DID NOT NOTIFY FAA OF ACCIDENT. FAA UNAWARE OF ACCIDENT UNTIL 2/9/2011.NTSB REPORT STATES, "THE SOLO STUDENT PILOT REPORTED THAT HE MADE A 40 MINUTE FLIGHT TO THE DESTINATION AIRPORT IN ORDER TO MEET A FAMILY MEMBER FOR LUNCH. IN ORDER TO INITIATE THE LANDING FLARE, HE PULLED BACK ON THE CONTROL YOKE, BUT THE AIRPLANE'S NOSE PITCHED UP MORE THAN HE EXPECTED. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE CORRECTED FOR THE HIGHER THAN EXPECTED PITCH ATTITUDE BY PUSHING FORWARD ON THE YOKE, RESULTING IN THE AIRPLANE'S NOSE WHEEL BEING "DROPPED" ONTO THE RUNWAY SURFACE. AFTER CONTACTING THE RUNWAY SURFACE, THE NOSE WHEEL PORPOISED (BOUNCED) ONE TIME BEFORE CONTACTING THE SURFACE A FINAL TIME. THE PILOT WAS ULTIMATELY ABLE TO STABILIZE THE AIRPLANE BY APPLYING BACK PRESSURE TO THE CONTROL YOKE. ALTHOUGH HE DID NOT BECOME AWARE OF IT UNTIL HE RETURNED TO HIS INITIAL POINT OF DEPARTURE, THE AIRPLANE'S NOSE WHEEL HADSTRUCK THE RUNWAY SURFACE WITH SUFFICIENT FORCE TO BUCKLE THE LOWER PART OF THE FIREWALL AND THE FORWARD PORTION OF THE FLOORBOARD. THEPROPELLER HAD ALSO COME IN CONTACT WITH THE RUNWAY SURFACE. THE PILOT REPORTED NO MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS WITH THE AIRPLANEAT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT."

## 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 WPR10CA475](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR10CA475), Jul 25, 2010: Cessna 172S (N172CY), Santa Maria, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate flare which resulted in a bounce and hard 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.