# Accident 20160131002669A: Cessna 172R, Merritt Island, FL, January 31, 2016

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 31, 2016, 09:32 local time
- Place: Merritt Island, FL
- Airport: Merritt Island
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 28.3417° N, 80.6861° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.3417&lon=-80.6861&mi=10
- Aircraft: N35079, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N35079) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172R (registry code 2072401, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172r) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (registry code 41597, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-l2a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172R
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-360-L2A
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 25 total, 25 in this make and model, 25 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA16CA114](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16CA114) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160131002669A

## Narrative

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

ON JANUARY 31, 2016 AT APPROXIMATELY 0932 EST N35079, A C-172 REGISTERED TO 30 WEST LLC, DEPARTED THE LEFT SIDE OF RUNWAY 11 AT KCOI WHICH CONSISTED OF GRASS, MUD AND STANDING WATER.  SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRCRAFT FLIPPED OVER AND CAME TO REST UPSIDE DOWN.  THE PILOT, UNINJURED, WAS ABLE TO EGRESS THE AIRCRAFT.

THE PILOT WAS A STUDENT PILOT ON HIS FOURTH SOLO WHO HAD DEPARTED ONE HOUR PRIOR.  ON RETURN TO LAND AT KCOI, IT WAS NOTED IN A STATEMENT PROVIDED BY THE PILOT AND FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR, THE AIRCRAFTS SPEED WAS IN EXCESS.  UPON LANDING THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO PORPOISE.  ON THE SECOND BOUNCE THE PILOT APPLIED FULL POWER TO INITIATE A GO-AROUND, LOST CONTROL AND CAME TO REST IN THE DITCH ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY.

UPON ARRIVAL AT THE SCENE THE INSTRUCTOR AND PILOT WERE BOTH INTERVIEWED WHO STATED THAT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT THE WINDS WERE CALM AND THE VISIBILITY WAS 10 SM.  A METAR REPORT WAS PULLED FROM NEARBY AIRPORT KTIX WHICH VERIFIED THE WEATHER CONDITIONS AT THE TIME: METAR KTIX 311350Z 00000KT 7SM SCT041 BKN120 14/13 A3018.  THE AIRCRAFT WAS EXAMINED TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT OF DAMAGE.  THE AIRCRAFTS FIREWALL, BETWEEN THE ENGINE AND THE FUSELAGE, EXHIBITED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE IN THE FORM OF CRINKLING CONSISTENT WITH HARD SURFACE IMPACT.  THE VERTICAL STABILIZER AND RUDDER ALSO SHOWED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.

## 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 GAA16CA114](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16CA114), Jan 31, 2016: Cessna 172 (N35079), Merritt Island, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot's improper flare which resulted in a porpoise, runway excursion, and nose over.

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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