20120728016689A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 172 · Grand Canyon, AZ · July 28, 2012

Date: July 28, 2012 · 10:30 local
Place: Grand Canyon, AZ
Airport: Grand Canyon Airport
Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N8100B
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR12CA337
Reported as: Cessna 172
Reported engine: Continental 0-300 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 145 total123 in this make and model20 in the last 90 days

N8100BRegistration cancelled Dec 17, 2012 · Cessna 172S/N 29900 · Built 1957 Airframe modelCessna 172 Engine modelContinental 0-300 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Single engine, land aircraft approached kgcn airport and reported to tower 10 miles out to the south. As per tower's request pilot called in again as he entered a left downwind for rwy 21. After tower gave clearance to land the pilot stayed higher than normal and extended his downwind leg to avoid helicopter traffic below and ahead of his Cessna 172 on final. On final approach to rwy 21 he came in with 30 degree flaps still higher and steeper than normal, but with normal approach speed. Pilot states that because of the steeper approach angle he was late or slow in determining the flare required to arrest the high sink rate and he landed hard, bounced and porpoised once or twice. The final bounce caused the aircraft to veer right and off of the rwy. Pilot applied full power to initiate go-around, but it was too late. Aircraft landed in the dirt hard, off of the rwy, collapsing the nose gear, causing the tail of the aircraft to flip over.

As the FAA filed it

SINGLE ENGINE, LAND AIRCRAFT APPROACHED KGCN AIRPORT AND REPORTED TO TOWER 10 MILES OUT TO THE SOUTH. AS PER TOWER'S REQUEST PILOT CALLED IN AGAIN AS HE ENTERED A LEFT DOWNWIND FOR RWY 21. AFTER TOWER GAVE CLEARANCE TO LAND THE PILOT STAYED HIGHER THAN NORMAL AND EXTENDED HIS DOWNWIND LEG TO AVOID HELICOPTER TRAFFIC BELOW AND AHEAD OF HIS CESSNA 172 ON FINAL. ON FINAL APPROACH TO RWY 21 HE CAME IN WITH 30 DEGREE FLAPS STILL HIGHER AND STEEPER THAN NORMAL, BUT WITH NORMAL APPROACH SPEED. PILOT STATES THAT BECAUSE OF THE STEEPER APPROACH ANGLE HE WAS LATE OR SLOW IN DETERMINING THE FLARE REQUIRED TO ARREST THE HIGH SINK RATE AND HE LANDED HARD, BOUNCED AND PORPOISED ONCE OR TWICE. THE FINAL BOUNCE CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO VEER RIGHT AND OFF OF THE RWY. PILOT APPLIED FULL POWER TO INITIATE GO-AROUND, BUT IT WAS TOO LATE. AIRCRAFT LANDED IN THE DIRT HARD, OFF OF THE RWY, COLLAPSING THE NOSE GEAR, CAUSING THE TAIL OF THE AIRCRAFT TO FLIP OVER.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB WPR12CA337Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportGrand Canyon, AZThe pilot’s improper flare and inadequate recovery from a bounced landing.Jul 28, 2012 · Substantial damage