# NTSB CEN16CA319: Cessna 172S, N544SP, Arlington, TX, August 9, 2016

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: August 9, 2016, 09:15 local (14:15 UTC)
- Place: Arlington, TX
- Coordinates: 32.665279, -97.093887 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.6653&lon=-97.0939&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report September 12, 2016
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA North Texas FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 93823
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN16CA319
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/93823/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=93823
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN16CA319

## Probable cause

The student pilot's improper recovery from a bounced 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 172S, 206 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072439), [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 · Incorrect use/operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 99 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/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: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 77 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md)
- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 49 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md)
- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md)
- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 77 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 76 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 34 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md)
- [Post-impact: Part(s) separation from AC](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338/sequence.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 563 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338/sequence.md)

## Analysis

During a full-stop landing to the 100 foot wide paved runway the airplane hit "very hard and bounced to a very high level". The student pilot did not execute a go-around and reported that on the second touchdown "he tried to hold it off again", but the operating propeller struck the runway surface and the airplane bounced a second time. On the third touchdown the nose gear collapsed, directional control was lost, and the airplane exited the left side of the runway. After digging into the grass the nose gear completely separated resulting in substantial damage to the firewall and the forward fuselage. The student pilot and the operator reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures.

## Factual narrative

During a full-stop landing to the 100 foot wide paved runway the airplane hit "very hard and bounced to a very high level". The student pilot did not execute a go-around and reported that on the second touchdown "he tried to hold it off again", but the operating propeller struck the runway surface and the airplane bounced a second time. On the third touchdown the nose gear collapsed, directional control was lost, and the airplane exited the left side of the runway. After digging into the grass the nose gear completely separated resulting in substantial damage to the firewall and the forward fuselage. The student pilot and the operator reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N544SP](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N544SP), registered now, S/N 172S8399 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172S
- Registry model: [Cessna 172S](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s) (registry code 2072439) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 SER A&C](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-ser-a-c) (registry code 41511, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 172S8399
- Year built: 2000
- Engines: LYCOMING IO-360-L2A 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Skymates Inc, doing business as Skymates Inc
- Registered owner: Skymates Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Departed: GKY, Arlington, TX
- Destination: GKY, Arlington, TX
- Airport: GKY, Arlington Muni, runway 16, 6,080 × 100 ft, concrete

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Observed at: KGKY

## 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 20160809016409A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160809016409A), Aug 9, 2016: Cessna 172S, Arlington, TX, Substantial damage. The student pilot took off at about 09:45, went around the pattern, and landed the aircraft. The aircraft porpoised on him, he lost control and went off the…

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 25, 2016, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=93823. 1.6 MB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 391 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40443790&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF
- Handwritten Statements from Student Pilot and Supervising Flight Instructor (item 2, .PDF, 363 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40443791&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Handwritten%20Statements%20from%20Student%20Pilot%20and%20Supervising%20Flight%20Instructor-Master.PDF
- Correspondence from the Operator (item 3, .PDF, 5 photos, 814 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40443792&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Correspondence%20from%20the%20Operator-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.

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