20170610009299A

On June 10, 2017 at approximately 1600 UTC, a Cessna 172S, was substantially damaged during a landing on runway 15 at Lawrence Municipal Airport, Lawrence, Kansas. The aircraft was being operated under 14 CFR part 91 flight rules on a 14 CFR part 61 training flight. Weather reported at the field at 1552 UTC was 170 at 16 gusting 24 knots, 10 statute miles of visibility, clear skies, temperature 27 celsius, dew-point 19 celsius , and the altimeter 29.79. The peak wind was recorded at 1521 UTC at 180 at 26.

Pursuant to verbal and written statements from the student and instructor pilots, the airmen were doing local pattern work and practicing engine-out procedures. On the last attempt, they were high on the approach so they entered a forward slip to landing. At approximately, 10 to 20 feet above the runway, the ?wind gust they were riding suddenly halted? And the aircraft began to sink rapidly. The student pilot reacted before the instructor could take controls by adding back pressure to arrest the decent. This resulted in the tail striking the runway and impacting the right main landing gear before teetering forward and impacting the nose wheel.

With the instructor at the controls, they elected to takeoff again, inspecting the control surfaces and landing gear as they accelerated down the runway. They noted no abnormalities. The instructor landed the airplane and conducted a post-flight inspection. They found the tail skid plate had bent up into the rudder and cracked the bottom rudder tip. The instructor grounded the aircraft for the remainder of the weekend until repairs could be made.

On June 19, 2017, the engine tachometer began to work intermittently. The owner then replaced it. However, with the tachometer was still only working intermittently, they checked the tachometer cable. When the engine cowling was removed, 4 cowl retaining clips fell out, and they discovered that the lower firewall had been damaged. The instructor then notified the wichita FSDO of the accident on June 20, 2017.