# Accident 20220406005019A: Cessna 172RG, Waterville, ME, April 6, 2022

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 6, 2022, 10:26 local time
- Place: Waterville, ME
- Airport: Waterville Robert Lafleur
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 44.5293° N, 69.6785° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.5293&lon=-69.6785&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9440D, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9440D-2023-12-11) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172RG (registry code 2072438, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172rg) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series (registry code 41514, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172RG
- Reported engine: LYCOMING O&VO-360 SER
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 21 total, 21 in this make and model, 21 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA22LA183](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22LA183) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220406005019A

## Narrative

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

PILOT WAS PRACTICING SOLO FLIGHT IN THE LOCAL AREA OF KWVL. PILOT HAD GONE OUT TO THE PRACTICE AREA FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES THEN RETURNED TO DO SOME TRAFFIC PATTERN WORK AND LANDINGS. PILOT HAD COMPLETED ROUGHLY 4 TOUCH AND GO RUNS AND ON THE NEXT ATTEMPT SET UP FOR A SOFT FIELD LANDING. WITH FULL FLAPS AND NOSE WHEEL HIGH THE AIRCRAFT CAME DOWN ON THE MAIN LANDING GEAR AND BEGAN TO PORPOISE DURING WHICH THE NOSE WHEEL CAME DOWN HARD AND BROKE AWAY FROM THE NOSE STRUT FOLLOWED BY THE NOSE STRUT AND PROPELLER BLADES  IMPACTING THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT THEN SKIDDED TO A STOP ON THE RUNWAY. SCRAPING ON THE BOTTOM OF THE AFT FUSELAGE AND BOTTOM RUDDER FAIRING INDICATE THE AIRCRAFT ANGLE OF ATTACK MAY HAVE BEEN HIGH ENOUGH TO HAVE STALLED PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN. THERE WAS NO INJURY TO THE PILOT.

## 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 ERA22LA183](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22LA183), Apr 6, 2022: Cessna 172RG (N9440D), Waterville, ME, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot’s incorrect landing flare, which resulted in a hard bounced landing and nose landing gear collapse.

## Other reports on N9440D (1)

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

- [Incident 20180707009329I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180707009329I), Jul 7, 2018: Cessna 172RG (N9440D), Wiscasset, ME, Minor damage. The aircraft landed gear up at the Wiscasset Airport. The pilot stated, while on approach he went through check list and missed engaging main landing gear…

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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