# NTSB CEN20CA257: Cessna 172, N738VY, Reedsburg, WI, June 12, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report - Date: June 12, 2020, 16:00 local (21:00 UTC) - Place: Reedsburg, WI - Coordinates: 43.528888, -89.983055 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.5289&lon=-89.9831&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 101523 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN20CA257 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/101523/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101523 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20CA257 ## Probable cause The student pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted a hard, 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 172N, 150 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072434), [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 172N, 38 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=2072434), [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: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 46 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis The student pilot was conducting his third solo flight. He took off for a short local flight and subsequently returned to the departure airport to land. During the final approach, the student pilot stated he set 30° of flaps and was "carrying a little more airspeed than he likely should have." As he leveled out over the runway, the nose dropped before he began to flare, and the airplane began to porpoise. After three hard bounces, he was able to settle the airplane onto the runway. He taxied the airplane back to the hangar and noticed that the airplane had sustained substantial damage to the firewall and forward fuselage. The student pilot reported there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precludded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N738VY](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N738VY), registered now, S/N 17270283, built 1978 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172 (N) - Registry model: [Cessna 172N](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n) (registry code 2072434) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17270283 - Year built: 1978 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-H2AD 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: RPM Aero - Registered owner: RPM Aero - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: C35, Reedsburg, WI - Destination: C35, Reedsburg, WI - Airport: C35, Reedsburg Muni, runway 36, 4,840 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 24; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 80 total, 70 in this make and model, 10 as pilot in command, 30 in the last 90 days, 19 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 60° at 15 knots, gusting 18 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 57 °F - Altimeter: 30.22 inHg - Observed at: KDLL, 9 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 20200612022129A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200612022129A), Jun 12, 2020: Cessna 172N, Reedsburg, WI, Substantial damage. On June 12, 2020 at approximately 1500, a student pilot departed Reedsburg WI airport (C35) for his third solo flight. Upon return to C35 the airplane began to… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 9, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101523. 1.1 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 747 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=10022739&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CEN20CA257%20NTSB%206120%20Completed%20w%20blocks_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 310 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=10022860&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CEN20CA257%20Photos%20for%20Docket-Rel.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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.