# NTSB CEN14CA274: Cessna 172P, N5495K, Bluffton, OH, May 30, 2014

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: May 30, 2014, 14:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place: Bluffton, OH
- Coordinates: 40.890441, -83.879493 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.8904&lon=-83.8795&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report July 30, 2014
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Central Region
- NTSB case key (mKey): 89357
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN14CA274
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/89357/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89357
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14CA274

## Probable cause

The student pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control, which resulted in a hard landing.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172P, 76 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072436), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172P, 38 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=2072436), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md)
- [Wind: gusts](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation; cases with it: [Cessna 172P, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md?model=2072436), [All aircraft, 1,199 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172P, 16 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=2072436), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092); cases with it: [Cessna 172P, 39 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=2072436), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The student pilot was attempting to land when a gust of wind lifted the right wing which caused the airplane to move to the left. The student pilot said that he did not properly flare while trying to realign the airplane on the runway and the airplane landed hard. This resulted in a blown tire along with damage to the propeller and firewall. The pilot reported no pre-mishap mechanical deficiencies.

## Factual narrative

The student pilot was attempting to land when a gust of wind lifted the right wing which caused the airplane to move to the left. The student pilot said that he did not properly flare while trying to realign the airplane on the runway and the airplane landed hard. This resulted in a blown tire along with damage to the propeller and firewall. The pilot reported no pre-mishap mechanical deficiencies.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N5495K](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5495K), registered now, S/N 17274160, built 1980 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172P (P)
- Registry model: [Cessna 172P](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172p) (registry code 2072436) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 17274160
- Year built: 1980
- Engines: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Fire: Unknown
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Pegasus Aviation Group LLC
- Registered owner: Pegasus Aviation Group LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: 5G7, Bluffton, OH
- Destination: 5G7, Bluffton, OH
- Airport: 5G7, Bluffton Airport, runway 05, 4,126 × 75 ft

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 57; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 15 total, 15 in this make and model, 15 in the last 90 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 70° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Observed at: FDY, 13 nm away

## 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 20140530007589A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140530007589A), May 30, 2014: Cessna 172P, Bluffton, OH, Substantial damage. On final approach to runway 5, at approximately 60 knots, a "slight" gust of wind lifted the right wing causing the aircraft to drift to the left. The aircraft…

## Other investigations on N5495K (2)

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.

- [NTSB WPR24LA058](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24LA058), Nov 27, 2023: Cessna 172P (N5495K), Las Cruces, NM, substantial damage. Probable cause: An encounter with a downdraft during an approach to land, which resulted in a hard landing.
- [NTSB ATL88LA167](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL88LA167), May 7, 1988: Cessna 172P (N5495K), Bowling Green, OH, substantial damage

## Docket (1 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 26, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89357. 413 KB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 413 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40413692&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.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.

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