What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On January 27, 2025, a Cessna 172S, incurred substantial damage during the landing touchdown on runway 34R at the Usafa davis airfield (kaff). At approximately 150 above ground level (AGL), the PIC experienced significant sink rate and a 10 knot loss of airspeed. The PIC added power to arrest the descent rate, but the aircraft continued with a significant descent rate. The aircraft landed hard on the main landing gear, bounced 3 to 4 feet in the air, then settled back on the ground on all three wheels and came to a complete stop on the runway. The crew did not notice any damage to the aircraft at this point such as blown tires or a prop strike. The aircraft was taxied back to the ramp and written up for a hard landing. During the maintenance inspection it revealed firewall buckling and damage to the rear bottom of the empennage.
As the FAA filed it
ON JANUARY 27, 2025, A CESSNA 172S, INCURRED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING THE LANDING TOUCHDOWN ON RUNWAY 34R AT THE USAFA DAVIS AIRFIELD (KAFF). AT APPROXIMATELY 150 ABOVE GROUND LEVEL (AGL), THE PIC EXPERIENCED SIGNIFICANT SINK RATE AND A 10 KNOT LOSS OF AIRSPEED. THE PIC ADDED POWER TO ARREST THE DESCENT RATE, BUT THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED WITH A SIGNIFICANT DESCENT RATE. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED HARD ON THE MAIN LANDING GEAR, BOUNCED 3 TO 4 FEET IN THE AIR, THEN SETTLED BACK ON THE GROUND ON ALL THREE WHEELS AND CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP ON THE RUNWAY. THE CREW DID NOT NOTICE ANY DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT AT THIS POINT SUCH AS BLOWN TIRES OR A PROP STRIKE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS TAXIED BACK TO THE RAMP AND WRITTEN UP FOR A HARD LANDING. DURING THE MAINTENANCE INSPECTION IT REVEALED FIREWALL BUCKLING AND DAMAGE TO THE REAR BOTTOM OF THE EMPENNAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.