- Date
- November 15, 2012, 15:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Moline, IL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N6231FCessna 172N
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 13, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Flight Standards
- FAA report
- 20121115025689A
- Case key
- 85791
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 misjudgment of the landing flare, which resulted in 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
The student pilot reported that the accident occurred during his initial solo flight. He stated that the takeoff and flight in the traffic pattern were without incident. However, during the first landing, the airplane bounced twice before settling onto the runway, and he elected to return to the ramp area. A postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to the firewall, with additional damage to the nose landing gear and propeller. A left crosswind at 8 knots was reported about the time of the accident. The student pilot reported that there were no failures or malfunctions related to the airplane before the accident.
Factual narrative
The student pilot reported that the accident occurred during his initial solo flight. He stated that the takeoff and flight in the traffic pattern were without incident. However, during the first landing, the airplane bounced twice before settling onto the runway and he elected to return to the ramp area. A postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to the firewall, with additional damage to the nose landing gear and propeller. A left crosswind at 8 knots was reported about the time of the accident. He reported that there were no failures or malfunctions related to the airplane prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6231F
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17273170
- Airframe hours
- 5,603
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-H2D, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Flying Country Club Inc.
- Registered owner
- Flying Country Club Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 19, 2012
- Departed
- MLI · Moline, IL
- Destination
- MLI · Moline, IL
- Airport
- MLI · Quad City International, runway 27, 10,002 × 150 ft, concrete
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
- 46
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 14, 2012
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 11 total · 11 in this make and model · 1 as pilot in command · 11 in the last 90 days · 11 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.28 inHg
- Observed at
- MLI, 1 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 7, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.3 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 N6231F · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.