- Date
- September 22, 2010, 09:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place
- Longmont, CO
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2459KCessna 172S
- Defining event
- Landing: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 12, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Flight Standards District Office
- FAA report
- 20100922046759A
- Case key
- 77413
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 inadequate landing flare and improper recovery from a bounced landing.
Findings · 2
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
According to the pilot, while on final approach to the runway and with the flaps positioned at 30 degrees, the airplane was high and fast. The airplane bounced during the landing, the pilot attempted an unsuccessful recovery. The airplane bounced again and the pilot initiated a go-around. He performed an uneventful second landing to the runway. After landing, damage to the propeller tips was observed and further examination revealed that the firewall was buckled. The pilot later informed the operator that the airplane was high and fast on final approach.
Factual narrative
On September 22, 2010, approximately 1000 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 172S, N2459K, operated by McAir Aviation, and piloted by a private pilot, was substantially damaged when it made a hard landing at Vance Brand Airport (LMO), Longmont, Colorado. Visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot and two passengers on board the airplane were not injured. The local flight originated at Rocky Mountain Airport (BJC), Broomfield, Colorado, approximately 0930. According to the pilot's accident report, she intended to make a full-stop landing at LMO before returning to BJC. On final approach to runway 29 with an inoperative VASI (visual approach slope indicator), the flaps were positioned at 30 degrees, but the airplane was high and fast. The airplane touched down and bounced. The pilot corrected by adding power and pitching down but overcompensated, and the airplane bounced again. Full power was applied and the pilot made a go-around. The second landing was successful and the pilot returned to BJC. No RPM loss noticed during the return flight. After landing at BJC, damage to the propeller tips was noticed. Further examination of the airplane revealed that the firewall was buckled, The pilot later told the operator that she was "high and fast" on final at LMO.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2459K
- Reported as
- Cessna 172S
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172S-10034
- Airframe hours
- 2,163
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-L2A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- McAir Aviation
- Registered owner
- Rigel Aviation, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · September 17, 2010 · 4 hours before
- Departed
- BJC · Broomfield, CO
- Destination
- BJC · Broomfield, CO
- Airport
- LMO · Vance Brand, runway 29, 4,800 × 75 ft, macadam
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
- 22
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 14, 2010
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 79 total · 78 in this make and model · 10 as pilot in command · 32 in the last 90 days · 18 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.89 inHg
- Observed at
- BJC, 16 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 25, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 151 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N2459K · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.