# NTSB CEN23LA421: Cessna 172S, N391SP, Midland, TX, September 22, 2023 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: September 22, 2023, 07:30 local (12:30 UTC) - Place: Midland, TX - Coordinates: 32.036389, -102.10138 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.0364&lon=-102.1014&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): 193143 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN23LA421 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/193143/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193143 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA421 ## Probable cause The student pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing, and the nose landing gear collapse. ## 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 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) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot; 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) ## 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 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-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 gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 21 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) ## Analysis The student pilot reported, that during the landing flare, the airplane floated down the runway. He attempted to settle the airplane softly onto the runway, but the airplane bounced twice and came to rest in the dirt on the side of the runway. A post-accident examination revealed that the nose landing gear folded forward, which resulted in substantial damage to the tunnel structure. The student pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operations. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N391SP](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N391SP), registered now, S/N 172S8286, built 1999 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172S (NO SERIES) - Registry model: [Cessna 172S](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s) (registry code 2072439) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 172S8286 - Year built: 1999 - Airframe hours: 7726 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360-L2A 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Floris Flight Services LLC - Registered owner: Floris Flight Services LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, August 24, 2023 - Departed: KMDD, Midland, TX - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: MDD, Midland Airpark, runway 16, 3,977 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 38; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 48 total, 48 in this make and model, 36 in the last 90 days, 18 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 170° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: KMDD - METAR: KMDD 221235Z AUTO 17008KT 10SM CLR 24/16 A3000 ## 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 20230922013759A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230922013759A), Sep 22, 2023: Cessna 172S, Midland, TX, Substantial damage. On September 22, 2023, at 0600 CDT, a Cessna 172S bounced while attempting to land. The aircraft subsequently impacted terrain adjacent the runway and incurred… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 1, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193143. 867 KB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 363 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16532543&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_RED-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 504 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16530980&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%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. --- 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.