# NTSB ANC96LA074: Cessna 172, N3795L, Fairbanks, AK, May 2, 1996 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 1, 1996, 18:00 local (May 2, 1996, 02:00 UTC) - Place: Fairbanks, AK - Coordinates: 64.809265, -147.719497 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=64.8093&lon=-147.7195&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 18, 1997 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 2843 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC96LA074 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/2843/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC96LA074 ## Probable cause The student pilot's premature flare and the flight instructor's failure to perform remedial action prior to the hard landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - flare - misjudged, dual student (cause) - supervision - inadequate, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) ## Analysis The flight instructor and student were practicing soft field landings. The instructor stated that the student flared the airplane too high during a landing, The airplane landed hard on all three wheels simultaneously. After the flight's termination, the student performed the post flight walk around inspection. The instructor did not perform the walk around with the student. The next flight instructor, during the taxi/run up, found that the flight controls would not move through their entire range of travel. Subsequent examination of the airplane showed that the firewall was bent and restricted the forward motion of the control yoke. ## Factual narrative On May 1, 1996, approximately 1800 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Cessna 172 airplane, N3795L, registered to and operated by Smith Aero Services of Fairbanks, Alaska, experienced a hard landing causing damage to the firewall while performing touch and go landings at Fairbanks International Airport, Fairbanks, Alaska. The instructional flight, operating under 14 CFR Part 91, departed Fairbanks for a local flight. No flight plan was filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The certificated flight instructor and the student were not injured and the airplane received substantial damage. During a telephone conversation with the flight instructor on May 24, 1996, she stated that during one of the landings the student flared higher than normal and the airplane struck the ground in a three point attitude. She felt that the landing was not unusually hard so they continued to perform touch and go landings. After the flight, the student, who had ten hours of total flight time, performed the walk around inspection and did not see any damage. The flight instructor did not perform the walk around inspection with the student. Approximately three days later, another instructor noticed that the control yoke would not move through its entire forward range of travel. Later examination showed that the firewall was bent and the surrounding structure was impeding the control yoke's movement. The flight instructor believes that they did not cause the damage because during the remainder of their flight they did not encounter restrictions during the control yoke's movements. However, the company records show that the airplane had not flown since their flight. The operator was sent an NTSB Form 6120.1/2 on May 28, 1996 and June 11,1996. The flight instructor stated she did not feel this was an accident and she did not complete and return the NTSB Form 6120.1/2. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3795L](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3795L), registered now, S/N 17253964 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172 - Registry model: [Cessna 172G](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172g) (registry code 2072420) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-300 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-300-series) (registry code 17022, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17253964 - Engines: Continental O-300-D 145 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Smith Aero Services - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: FAI - Airport: FAI, Fairbanks International ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 48; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: right; flight hours: 810 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 90 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 61 °F ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19960501043389A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960501043389A), May 1, 1996: Cessna 172G, Fairbanks, AK, Substantial damage. Student made hard landing but dual session continued. Found later to have control binding due to bent firewall. 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. --- 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.