# NTSB CEN20CA340: Cessna 172, N79110, Englewood, CO, August 8, 2020

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report
- Date: August 8, 2020, 17:40 local (23:40 UTC)
- Place: Englewood, CO · On Airport
- Coordinates: 39.580028, -104.86059 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.5800&lon=-104.8606&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: 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: Federal Aviation Adminstration - Denver FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 101803
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN20CA340
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/101803/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101803
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20CA340

## Probable cause

The student pilot misjudged the landing flare which resulted in a loss of control and a hard bounced landing.

## Findings

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

- [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 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)
- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · 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)

## Sequence of events

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

- [Landing-flare/touchdown: 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)
- [Landing: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 81 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The student pilot was on a local solo flight when he misjudged the landing flare and the airplane ballooned before it landed hard on the runway. The student pilot stated that the airplane bounced at least 3 times, with each subsequent bounce harder than the previous bounce. The student pilot reported that he eventually lost directional control of the airplane before it came to a stop in the grass area beside the runway. The airplane’s lower fuselage structure was buckled resulting in substantial damage. The student pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N79110](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N79110-2022-01-11), registration cancelled 2022-01-11, S/N 17268131, built 1976 (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: 17268131
- Year built: 1976
- Airframe hours: 5231.2
- Engines: Lycoming O-320-H2AD 160 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Aspen Flying Club
- Registered owner: R&F Enterprises LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, August 7, 2020
- Airport: APA, Centennial Airport, runway 17R, 7,001 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: ADS-B, Stall warning system

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 18; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 21 total, 19 in this make and model, 21 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 200° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 90 °F, dew point 25 °F
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observed at: APA

## 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 20200808018529A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200808018529A), Aug 8, 2020: Cessna 172N, Centennial, CO, Substantial damage. This was the student's first landing of his first solo. Too much speed in the flare ultimately led to a climb out of ground effect and then a descent, landing…

## Docket (6 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 21, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101803. 9.5 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 921 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11599058&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=01%20-%20Pilot%20Report_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Pilot statement (email) (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 123 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11598736&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=02%20-%20Pilot%20Statement%20(email)_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Security camera footage (tower 2 camera) (item 3, M4V, 2.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11598829&FileExtension=m4v&FileName=03%20-%20Security%20Camera%20Footage%20(Tower%202%20Camera)-Rel.m4v
- Security camera footage (tower 3 camera) (item 4, M4V, 3.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11598340&FileExtension=m4v&FileName=04%20-%20Security%20Camera%20Footage%20(Tower%203%20Camera)-Rel.m4v
- Security camera footage (tower 4 camera) (item 5, M4V, 2.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11599068&FileExtension=m4v&FileName=05%20-%20Security%20Camera%20Footage%20(Tower%204%20Camera)-Rel.m4v
- Photos (item 6, PDF, 2 pages, 2 photos, 291 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11598746&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=06%20-%20Photo%20Array-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.

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