# Accident 20180329000139A: Cessna 172R, New Bedford, MA, March 29, 2018

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 29, 2018, 09:30 local time
- Place: New Bedford, MA
- Airport: New Bedford Regional
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: Pilot school (Part 141)
- Operator: LY8S
- Location: 41.6769° N, 70.9586° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.6769&lon=-70.9586&mi=10
- Aircraft: N803BW, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N803BW-2018-08-02) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172R (registry code 2072401, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172r) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming I0360 series (registry code 41515, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172R
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 77 total, 77 in this make and model, 29 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA18CA199](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA199) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180329000139A

## Narrative

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

ON MARCH 29, 2018, AT ABOUT 0945 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 172R SINGLE-ENGINE AIRPLANE, N803BW, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING A HARD LANDING ON RUNWAY 32 AT NEW BEDFORD REGIONAL AIRPORT (KEWB), NEW BEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS.  THE STUDENT PILOT, WHO WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRCRAFT, WAS NOT INJURED.  VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT, WHICH WAS OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91.

SURVEILLANCE VIDEO RECORDED BY KEWB SHOWED THAT THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED UPON INITIAL CONTACT WITH THE RUNWAY SURFACE.  AIRPLANE THEN PITCHED DOWN AND ENTERED A SERIES OF PROGRESSIVELY WORSE PITCH OSCILLATIONS BOUNCING 3 ADDITIONAL TIMES BEFORE SETTLING ON THE RUNWAY AND CONTINUING THE LANDING ROLLOUT.

ACCORDING TO THE STUDENT PILOT, THE APPROACH TO THE AIRPORT WAS CONTROLLED.  HOWEVER, HE BECAME FIXATED ON THE DESIRED LANDING SPOT AND DESCRIBED EXPERIENCING ?TUNNEL VISION.?  FURTHERMORE, THE STUDENT PILOT DESCRIBED FAILING TO INITIALLY BEGIN THE LANDING FLARE DUE TO HIS FIXATION ON THE LANDING SPOT. WHEN HE DID BEGIN TO LEVEL OFF THE AIRPLANE MADE CONTACT WITH THE RUNWAY SURFACE.

THE STUDENT PILOT NOTICED THAT TAXIING BACK TO THE RAMP WAS MORE DIFFICULT (I.E. THE AIRPLANE WAS ?SHAKY?) BUT HAD NOT REALIZED THE AIRPLANE HAD SUSTAINED DAMAGE.  ACCORDING TO THE STUDENT PILOT?S CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI), WHO WAS ON THE RAMP AT THE TIME OF THE STUDENT PILOT?S RETURN, THE NOSE LANDING GEAR TIRE DID NOT BECOME FLAT UNTIL THE AIRPLANE TURNED ONTO THE FLIGHT SCHOOL?S RAMP.  THE CFI WENT OUT TO THE RAMP TO HELP THE STUDENT PILOT PUSH BACK THE AIRPLANE AND IT WAS DURING THIS TIME THAT THE DAMAGE TO THE AIRPLANE WAS FIRST NOTICED.

EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE AFTER THE ACCIDENT REVEALED THAT BOTH PROPELLER BLADE TIPS EXHIBITED DAMAGE CONSISTENT WITH A PROPELLER STRIKE WHILE THE ENGINE WAS MAKING POWER.  THE LOWER SKIN OF THE FUSELAGE FRONT SECTION STRUCTURE ASSEMBLY WAS PUSHED UP BETWEEN THE LH AND RH BULKHEAD REINFORCEMENT ANGLES. THE FIREWALL WAS FOUND TO BE BUCKLED ABOVE THE NOSE LANDING GEAR (NLG) SHOCK STRUT UPPER MOUNT BRACKET AND THE NLG TIRE WENT FLAT.

## 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 GAA18CA199](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA199), Mar 29, 2018: Cessna 172 (N803BW), New Bedford, MA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot’s failure to maintain a proper landing flare, which resulted in a porpoised landing.

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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