20150528008909A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 172R · State College, PA · May 28, 2015

Date: May 28, 2015 · 18:45 local
Place: State College, PA
Airport: University Park Airport
Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N2254U
NTSB investigation: NTSBGAA15CA099
Reported as: Cessna 172R
Reported engine: Lycoming I0360 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Student
Pilot’s flight hours: 73 total59 in this make and model27 in the last 90 days

N2254URegistered now · Cessna 172RS/N 17280684 · Built 1999 Airframe modelCessna 172R Engine modelLycoming I0360 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.

The PIC was a student pilot on a solo cross-country flight from kjst and had a hard landing on runway 24 at kunv during a crosswind landing.

The wind was reported at 330 degrees at 9 knots. The prop struck the runway and the aircraft firewall was buckled. There were no injuries reported.

(The ridge north of the airport is known to produce down drafts and turbulence around the airport runway area when the wind is from the north-west.)

As the FAA filed it

THE PIC WAS A STUDENT PILOT ON A SOLO CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT FROM KJST AND HAD A HARD LANDING ON RUNWAY 24 AT KUNV DURING A CROSSWIND LANDING.

THE WIND WAS REPORTED AT 330 DEGREES AT 9 KNOTS. THE PROP STRUCK THE RUNWAY AND THE AIRCRAFT FIREWALL WAS BUCKLED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED.

(THE RIDGE NORTH OF THE AIRPORT IS KNOWN TO PRODUCE DOWN DRAFTS AND TURBULENCE AROUND THE AIRPORT RUNWAY AREA WHEN THE WIND IS FROM THE NORTH-WEST.)

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 GAA15CA099Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportState College, PAThe student pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the approach to landing which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and a hard landing.May 28, 2015 · Substantial damage