What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 11-9-17 at approximatetly 1340 local, N2138W, a CE-172 was substantially damaged during a hard landing on runway 6 at the Trenton Mercer Airport. The solo student was uninjured. The flight instructor stated this was the students first solo flight. The CFI was observing the pilot conduct takeoffs and landings from the ramp. He stated that the first two approaches and landings were very good. The tower then instructed the student to switch traffic patterns for his final landing. The CFI stated that the students base leg and final approach were much steeper and shorter, with a nose down pitch attitude and high rate of descent. The third landing apperared to the CFI to be flat with a hard impact that subsequently caused the aircraft to bounce significantly. Another hard impact followed this bounce and the aircraft taxied clear of the runway. The student then taxied to the ramp where damage to the propeller was discovered. No report was made to the ATCT about the damage.
As the FAA filed it
ON 11-9-17 AT APPROXIMATETLY 1340 LOCAL, N2138W, A CE-172 WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A HARD LANDING ON RUNWAY 6 AT THE TRENTON MERCER AIRPORT. THE SOLO STUDENT WAS UNINJURED. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR STATED THIS WAS THE STUDENTS FIRST SOLO FLIGHT. THE CFI WAS OBSERVING THE PILOT CONDUCT TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS FROM THE RAMP. HE STATED THAT THE FIRST TWO APPROACHES AND LANDINGS WERE VERY GOOD. THE TOWER THEN INSTRUCTED THE STUDENT TO SWITCH TRAFFIC PATTERNS FOR HIS FINAL LANDING. THE CFI STATED THAT THE STUDENTS BASE LEG AND FINAL APPROACH WERE MUCH STEEPER AND SHORTER, WITH A NOSE DOWN PITCH ATTITUDE AND HIGH RATE OF DESCENT. THE THIRD LANDING APPERARED TO THE CFI TO BE FLAT WITH A HARD IMPACT THAT SUBSEQUENTLY CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO BOUNCE SIGNIFICANTLY. ANOTHER HARD IMPACT FOLLOWED THIS BOUNCE AND THE AIRCRAFT TAXIED CLEAR OF THE RUNWAY. THE STUDENT THEN TAXIED TO THE RAMP WHERE DAMAGE TO THE PROPELLER WAS DISCOVERED. NO REPORT WAS MADE TO THE ATCT ABOUT THE DAMAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N2138W · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.