- Date
- April 10, 2006, 18:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Sanford, NC
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N72675Cessna C-172S
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 31, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Greensboro FSDO-05
- Case key
- 63531
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 pilot stated that he was returning back to the Sanford-Lee County Airport via the Sandhills VOR. The flight was normal as he approached Sanford for a straight in approach to runway 3.The pilot stated that he "flared the aircraft to high and while compensating the nose dropped and the nose wheel contacted the runway". According to the pilot this introduced a "pilot induced oscillation", and during the second contact with the ground the propeller must have struck the runway.
Factual narrative
On April 10, 2006, at 1645 eastern daylight time, a Cessna C-172S, N72675, registered to and operated by Chapel Hill flying Club Incorporated as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, landed hard at the Sanford-Lee County Regional Airport, Sanford, North Carolina. The airplane received substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The private rated pilot reported no injuries. The flight originated earlier that day from the Florence Regional Airport, Florence, South Carolina.
The pilot stated that he was returning back to the Sanford-Lee County Airport via the Sandhills VOR. The flight was normal as he approached Sanford for a straight in approach to runway 3.The pilot stated that he "flared the aircraft to high and while compensating the nose dropped and the nose wheel contacted the runway". According to the pilot this introduced a "pilot induced oscillation", and during the second contact with the ground the propeller must have struck the runway. After the airplane was taxied back to the ramp the pilot performed a post flight check, and noted that the propeller blade tips were damaged. Examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector showed the firewall was bent.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N72675
- Reported as
- Cessna C-172S
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172S8977
- Airframe hours
- 2,286
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-L2A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Chapel Hill Flying Club Incorporated
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 1, 2006 · 2,286 hours before
- Departed
- FLO · Florence, SC
- Destination
- TTA · Sanford-Lee, SC
- Airport
- TTA · Sanford-Lee County Regional, runway 3, 6,500 × 100 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
- 43
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 1, 2005
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 146 total · 38 in this make and model · 97 as pilot in command · 15 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.29 inHg
- Observed at
- TTA