# NTSB CEN21LA246: Cessna 162, N162TW, Indianapolis, IN, May 25, 2021 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: May 25, 2021, 18:50 local (22:50 UTC) - Place: Indianapolis, IN - Coordinates: 39.935823, -86.045447 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.9358&lon=-86.0454&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 Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 103196 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN21LA246 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/103196/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103196 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA246 ## Probable cause The pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in 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 · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 162, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=060005E), [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 162, 23 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=060005E), [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 162, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=060005E), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094); cases with it: [Cessna 162, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=060005E), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) ## Analysis The student pilot was on a solo flight and had completed two touch-and-go landings. During the third landing approach, the airplane was too high, so he completed a go-around. During the next approach, the airplane bounced on the runway, porpoised, and the nose landing gear separated. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and firewall. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N162TW](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N162TW), registered now, S/N 16200224, built 2012 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA AIRCRAFT CO 162 - Registry model: [Cessna 162](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-162) (registry code 060005E) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental O-200-D](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-200-d) (registry code 17409, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 16200224 - Year built: 2012 - Airframe hours: 2329.4 - Engines: Continental Motors O-200-D 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Tom Wood Aviation Inc - Registered owner: Tom Wood Aviation Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Special light-sport (Special) - Last inspection: 100 hour, March 13, 2021 - Departed: UMP, Indianapolis, IN - Airport: UMP, Indianapolis Metro, runway 15/33, 5,201 × 100 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Stall warning system, ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 36; injuries: none; student; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 26 total, 26 in this make and model, 1 as pilot in command, 26 in the last 90 days, 9 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 190° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 7,500 ft broken - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 30.04 inHg - Observed at: KTYQ, 11 nm away - METAR: KTYQ 252255Z AUTO 19010KT 10SM SCT060 BKN075 BKN120 28/16 A3004 RMK AO2 T02780164 ## 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 20210525010059A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210525010059A), May 25, 2021: Cessna Aircraft Co 162, Fishers, IN, Substantial damage. On may 25, 2021, at approximately 1850 eastern standard time, a Cessna C162 aircraft, N162TW, was substantially damaged during landing at the indianapolis… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 27, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103196. 6.2 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 4.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12374389&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20-%20pilot_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot's statement (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 168 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12375766&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=pilot%20email_Redacted-Rel.pdf - FAA inspector's statement (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 147 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12510863&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=-%20Memo%20-%20FAA%20-23%20summary-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 4, PDF, 3 pages, 3 photos, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12374031&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photos-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.