- Date
- December 13, 2005, 09:00 local (14:00 UTC)
- Place
- Mobile, AL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N348SPCessna 172S
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 28, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Birmingham FSDO-09
- FAA report
- 20051213029849A
- Case key
- 63011
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The student pilot stated, that an approach was made to runway 32 at the Mobile Downtown Airport, Mobile, Alabama (BFM). The student pilot flared the airplane causing it to balloon, and then allowed the airplane to sink down. The student pilot flared it again, and the stall warning horn went off momentarily. The student pilot eased the elevator slightly forward and the airplane landed roughly. According to the student pilot the airplane landed with more weight on the right wheel than on the left. The airplane slowed down and the student pilot pulled back on the yoke to further slow the airplane down. At this point the student pilot noticed roughness with the flight controls. The student pilot taxied to the downtown air center, and parked the airplane. According to the student pilot there were no problems with the flight controls, and no problems with the airplane during the pre-flight inspection. Post-accident examination of the airplane revealed the flight surfaces were intact. The center section of the airframe, and firewall were buckled. Examination of the propeller revealed it was bent aft.
Factual narrative
The student pilot stated, that an approach was made to runway 32 at the Mobile Downtown Airport, Mobile, Alabama (BFM). The student pilot flared the airplane causing it to balloon, and then allowed the airplane to sink down. The student pilot flared it again, and the stall warning horn went off momentarily. The student pilot eased the elevator slightly forward and the airplane landed roughly. According to the student pilot the airplane landed with more weight on the right wheel than on the left. The airplane slowed downed and the student pilot pulled back on the yoke to further slow the airplane down. At this point the student pilot noticed roughness with the flight controls. The student pilot taxied to the downtown air center, and parked the airplane. According to the student pilot there were no problems with the flight controls, and no problems with the airplane during the pre-flight inspection. Post-accident examination of the airplane revealed the flight surfaces were intact. The center section of the airframe, and firewall were buckled. Examination of the propeller revealed it was bent aft.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N348SP
- Reported as
- Cessna 172S
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17258273
- Airframe hours
- 892
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-L2A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Flight Training of Mobile
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 1, 2005 · 91 hours before
- Departed
- BFM · Mobile, AL
- Destination
- BFM · Mobile, AL
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- KBFM · Mobile Downtown Airport, runway 32, 9,618 × 150 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 26
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 25 total · 25 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 110° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BFM
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.