- Date
- September 9, 2012, 18:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place
- Phillipsburg, OH
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2484LCessna 172H
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 11, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- FAA report
- 20120909023849A
- Case key
- 84990
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 flare, which resulted in a hard 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
During the final approach to the runway, the pilot flared too high. He stated that as he released back pressure on the flight controls and added power, the nose of the airplane dropped and hit the runway hard. An examination of the airplane revealed that the firewall was wrinkled. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical anomalies or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
During the final approach to the runway, the pilot initiated his flare too high. He stated that as he released back pressure on the flight controls and added power, the nose of the airplane dropped and the hit the runway. An examination of the airplane revealed that the firewall was wrinkled. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical anomalies or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2484L
- Reported as
- Cessna 172H
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17255684
- Airframe hours
- 3,642
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-300 SER, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 15, 2011
- Departed
- KGAS · Gallipolis, OH
- Destination
- K3I7 · Phillipsburg, OH
- Airport
- K3I7 · Phillipsburg Airport, runway 03, 3,000 × 40 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
- 55
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 4, 2012
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 156 total · 105 in this make and model · 9 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 9,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.02 inHg
- Observed at
- KDAY, 8 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 20, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.0 MB 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 N2484L · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.