# NTSB CEN10LA383: Cessna 182M, N71784, Alamagordo, NM, July 5, 2010 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 5, 2010, 14:00 local (20:00 UTC) - Place: Alamagordo, NM - Coordinates: 32.837223, -105.987777 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.8372&lon=-105.9878&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 7, 2011 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 76574 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN10LA383 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/76574/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=76574 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10LA383 ## Probable cause The pilot's loss of airplane control during landing, which resulted in a hard/bounced landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 182M, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md?model=2072728), [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 182M, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=2072728), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot was returning to land after towing a glider to altitude. The wind was gusting up to 19 knots and shifting. The pilot made two attempts to land, but elected to go around each time due to a shimmy in the main landing gear. On the third attempt to land he switched to another runway, composed of dirt. During the landing, the airplane bounced and he elected to go around. Convinced that was something wrong with the landing gear, the pilot performed a low approach over the runway and asked ground personnel to visually check the landing gear; they verified that it looked normal. The pilot made another attempt to land and, during touchdown, the airplane bounced hard 2 to 3 times. Again, the pilot elected to go around and decided to try another landing on the original runway. After landing, the landing gear continued to shimmy and the airplane veered toward the right side of the runway. As the plane slowed, the pilot was able to taxi the airplane safely back to the ramp. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the firewall was wrinkled, the engine mounts were deformed, and the fuselage was damaged at the waterline. Flight control continuity was confirmed and no anomalies were found with the engine or other airplane systems. ## Factual narrative On July 5, 2010, at 1400 mountain daylight time, N71784, a Cessna 182, landed hard and bounced while landing at Alamogordo-White Sands Regional Airport (KALM), New Mexico. The airplane was registered to and operated by White Sands Soaring Association, Alamogordo, New Mexico. The commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the glider towing flight conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The pilot reported that he was returning to land after towing a glider to altitude. He said the wind was gusting to 19 knots between 290 and 010 degrees. The pilot made two attempts to land on Runway 03 but elected to go-around each time due to a shimmy in the main landing gear. On the third attempt to land, he switched to Runway 34 (a dirt runway). During the landing he bounced and elected to go around. The pilot was convinced there was something wrong with the landing gear so he did a low approach over Runway 21 and asked for ground personnel to visually check the gear. Ground personnel said the gear looked fine. The pilot made another attempt to land on Runway 34 and "bounced really hard 2-3 times." Again, the pilot elected to go-around and decided to try another landing on Runway 03. After landing, the pilot reported that there was still a shimmy and the airplane veered toward the right side of the runway. As the plane slowed down, the pilot was able to taxi the airplane safely back to the ramp. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector performed an examination of the airplane. He reported that the firewall was wrinkled, the engine mounts were deformed, the fuselage was damaged at the waterline, the propeller was damaged, and the nose gear mount bracket was pushed up into the fuselage. Flight control continuity was confirmed. No anomalies were found with the engine or other airplane systems. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N71784](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N71784-2019-02-13), registration cancelled 2019-02-13, S/N 18259755, built 1969 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 182M - Registry model: [Cessna 182M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182m) (registry code 2072728) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental O-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (registry code 17026, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18259755 - Engines: CONT MOTOR O-470 SERIES 230 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Glider tow, Part 91 - Operator: White Sands Soaring Assoc Inc - Registered owner: White Sands Soaring Assoc Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: ALM, Alamagordo, NM - Destination: ALM, Alamagordo, NM - Airport: ALM, Alamagordo Regional, runway 34, 3,412 × 200 ft, dirt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 28; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 3,200 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 7 knots, gusting 19 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Observed at: ALM ## 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 20100705041579A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100705041579A), Jul 5, 2010: Cessna 182M, Alamagordo, NM, Substantial damage. Pilot was in the process of completing a glider tow to altitude. After release the pilot attempted several approaches to landing due to crosswind component and… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 8, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=76574. 487 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 371 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40339062&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - FAA Inspector Report 1 (item 2, .PDF, 58 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40337229&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%20Report%201-Master.PDF - FAA Inspector Report 2 (item 3, .PDF, 58 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40337230&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%20Report%202-Master.PDF 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.