- Date
- August 4, 2009, 10:50 local (15:50 UTC)
- Place
- New Braunfels, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N401LPCessna 172S
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 30, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- Case key
- 74451
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 student pilot's improper flare resulting in a bounced landing.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The student pilot, who was on a solo flight, performed two normal takeoffs and landings; however, on the third landing, the airplane hit the runway hard and bounced. Following the second bounce the student initiated a go-around. The student pilot continued around the traffic pattern and did a “normal” landing. An inspection of the airplane, following the accident, revealed that the propeller tips were slightly damaged, the nosewheel tire was flat, and the firewall area sustained structural damage.
Factual narrative
The student pilot, who was on a solo flight, performed two normal take-off and landings; however, on the third landing, the airplane hit the runway hard and bounced. Following the second bounce the student initiated a go-around. The student pilot continued around the traffic pattern and did a “normal” landing. An inspection of the airplane, following the accident, revealed that the propeller tips were slightly damaged, the nosewheel tire was flat, and the firewall area sustained structural damage.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N401LP
- Reported as
- Cessna 172S
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172S9401
- Airframe hours
- 2,506
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-L2A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Wright Flyers Aviation, Inc
- Registered owner
- Mustang Sally Aviation LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 21, 2009
- Departed
- KBAZ · New Braunfels, TX
- Destination
- KBAZ · New Braunfels, TX
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- KBAZ · New Braunfels Municipal, runway 17, 5,364 × 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
- Student pilot
- Age
- 23
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 25 total · 25 in this make and model · 2 as pilot in command · 25 in the last 90 days · 16 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.01 inHg
- Observed at
- KBAZ
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 10, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 325 KB in all.