# NTSB ATL94LA091: Cessna 172M, N61990, Barnwell, SC, April 14, 1994

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: April 14, 1994, 10:15 local (14:15 UTC)
- Place: Barnwell, SC
- Location: 33.2577° N, 81.3882° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at BARNWELL RGNL (BNL), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.2577&lon=-81.3882&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report December 19, 1994
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 3380
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL94LA091
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/3380/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL94LA091

## Probable cause

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO FLARE PROPERLY WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown
  - fuselage,firewall - buckled
  - flare - improper, pilot in command (cause)
- Nose gear collapsed, landing - flare/touchdown
  - landing gear,nose gear - overload

## Analysis

ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, A PERSONAL URGENCY FORCED HER TO DIVERT TO AN AIRPORT SHORT OF THE DESTINATION. SHE ALSO STATED THAT THE APPROACH AIRSPEED AND THE HEIGHT OVER THE RUNWAY, WERE EXCESSIVE. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN HARD AND BOUNCED SEVERAL TIMES. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE FIREWALL WAS BUCKLED.

## Factual narrative

On April 14, 1994, at 1015 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172M, N61990, landed hard on runway 4 at Barnwell County Airport at Barnwell, South Carolina. The personal flight operated under 14 CFR Part 91, with a visual flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage; the pilot and passenger were not injured. The flight departed Gastonia, North Carolina, at 0900 hours.

Because of a personal urgency, the pilot diverted to an airport short of the destination airport. The pilot stated that the altitude and airspeeds were excessive for the landing. The airplane touch down hard, bounced and porpoised several times before she stopped the airplane on the runway. When the airplane was examined several days later, it was determined that in addition to the nose gear damage, the engine firewall was buckled. There were no aircraft problems reported by the pilot.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N61990](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N61990), registered now, S/N 17264941, built 1975 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172M
- Registry model: [Cessna 172M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m) (registry code 2072418) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 17264941
- Airframe hours: 4517
- Engines: LYCOMING O-320-E2D 150 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Cloninger, Richard L.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, March 21, 1994, 17 hours before
- Departed: OA6, GASTONIA, NC
- Flight plan: VFR
- Airport: BNL, Barnwell County, runway 4, 5,122 × 68 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 48; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 105 total, 11 in this make and model, 45 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 290° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: CRE, 45 nm away

## 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 19940414009959A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940414009959A), Apr 14, 1994: Cessna 172M, Barnwell, SC, Substantial damage. Landed fast and hard. Porpoised and bounced several times. Nose gear and firewall damage.

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.

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