20220924016379I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Cessna 172L · Topeka, KS · September 24, 2022

Date
September 24, 2022 · 16:30 local
Place
Topeka, KS
Airport
Topeka Phillip Billard Airport
Phase of flight
Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Minor damage
Aircraft
N4240Q
Reported as
Cessna 172L
Reported engine
Lycoming 0-320 series
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Student
Pilot’s flight hours
64 total34 in this make and model37 in the last 90 days

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

The pilot stated he was high and fast upon turning final to land. He adjusted the aiming point on the runway. However, his approach speed was still fast for the recommended speed for the aircraft. Upon flaring he ballooned and proceeded to add power to aid in his touchdown. It was at this time the aircraft landed much harder than he anticipated and proceeded to bounce. Finally, coming back down and landed, and upon the second touchdown the nose gear tire went flat and lost the ability to steer the aircraft. The aircraft proceeded to leave the side of the runway, and came to rest in the grass. In the process the propeller came into contact with the ground receiving damage.

As the FAA filed it

THE PILOT STATED HE WAS HIGH AND FAST UPON TURNING FINAL TO LAND. HE ADJUSTED THE AIMING POINT ON THE RUNWAY. HOWEVER, HIS APPROACH SPEED WAS STILL FAST FOR THE RECOMMENDED SPEED FOR THE AIRCRAFT. UPON FLARING HE BALLOONED AND PROCEEDED TO ADD POWER TO AID IN HIS TOUCHDOWN. IT WAS AT THIS TIME THE AIRCRAFT LANDED MUCH HARDER THAN HE ANTICIPATED AND PROCEEDED TO BOUNCE. FINALLY, COMING BACK DOWN AND LANDED, AND UPON THE SECOND TOUCHDOWN THE NOSE GEAR TIRE WENT FLAT AND LOST THE ABILITY TO STEER THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT PROCEEDED TO LEAVE THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, AND CAME TO REST IN THE GRASS. IN THE PROCESS THE PROPELLER CAME INTO CONTACT WITH THE GROUND RECEIVING DAMAGE.