# Accident 20171109018419A: Cessna 172S, West Trenton, NJ, November 9, 2017

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 9, 2017, 13:40 local time
- Place: West Trenton, NJ
- Airport: Trenton Mercer
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: Pilot school (Part 141)
- Location: 40.2767° N, 74.8133° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.2767&lon=-74.8133&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2138W, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2138W) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172S (registry code 2072439, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (registry code 41597, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-l2a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172S
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-360-L2A
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 24 total, 24 in this make and model, 24 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA18CA045](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA045) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20171109018419A

## Narrative

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

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.

## 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 GAA18CA045](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA045), Nov 9, 2017: Cessna 172 (N2138W), Trenton, NJ, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a bounced landing.

## Other reports on N2138W (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 20060606011229I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060606011229I), Jun 6, 2006: Cessna 172S (N2138W), Lawrence, MA, Minor damage. (-23) While practicing missed approaches at (lwm) N2138W, a CE-172-S had a propeller blade separation of one blade 12" from the center of the hub. The aircraft…

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.