# NTSB CEN24LA186: Cessna 172H, N2782L, Belle Chasse, LA, May 1, 2024 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: May 1, 2024, 10:30 local (15:30 UTC) - Place: Belle Chasse, LA - Coordinates: 29.82, -90.02 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.8200&lon=-90.0200&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 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, Baton Rouge FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 194256 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN24LA186 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/194256/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194256 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA186 ## Probable cause The inadequate landing flare by the flight instructor that resulted in a loss of directional control and impact with terrain. ## 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 172H, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=2072424), [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. - [Approach-VFR pattern final: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [Cessna 172H, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md?model=2072424), [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172H, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=2072424), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230); cases with it: [Cessna 172H, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=2072424), [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 172H, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=2072424), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna 172H, 20 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2072424), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [Cessna 172H, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=2072424), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md) ## Analysis The flight instructor reported that he and a student pilot were returning to the seaplane base after completing the student pilot’s instructional stage check for a commercial single-engine sea rating. During the final approach for landing, the flight instructor noticed the seaplane’s glide path flown by the student pilot was high and would require most of the waterway to land. The flight instructor took control of the seaplane to correct for the high glide path. After the flight instructor corrected the seaplane’s glide path, the seaplane touched down on the waterway, and the flight instructor applied left rudder control to keep the seaplane centered on the waterway. The seaplane continued to the right and struck a sand bank where it nosed over. The seaplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing spar. The flight instructor reported no preaccident failures or malfunctions with the seaplane that would have precluded normal operations. The flight instructor felt that the touch down attitude was flat resulting in an inadvertent water loop. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2782L](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2782L), registered now, S/N 17255982, built 1967 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172H - Registry model: [Cessna 172H](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172h) (registry code 2072424) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-300 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-300-series) (registry code 17022, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17255982 - Year built: 1967 - Airframe hours: 2412.7 - Engines: Teledyne Continental O-300-CCD 145 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Southern Seaplane, Inc. - Registered owner: Southern Seaplane, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 18, 2024 - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: 65LA, Southern Seaplane Airport, runway 20, 5,000 × 100 ft, water - Equipment: ADS-B, Handheld GPS, Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 27; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine sea, single-engine sea, single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review August 9, 2023; seat: right; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 1,726 total, 583 in this make and model, 1,653 as pilot in command, 128 in the last 90 days, 46 in the last 30 days, 7.3 in the last 24 hours - Student pilot; age 32; injuries: none; commercial; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: lap only ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 110° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 72 °F - Altimeter: 29.98 inHg - Observed at: NBG, 3 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 20240501007619A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240501007619A), May 1, 2024: Cessna 172H, Belle Chase, LA, Minor damage. The instructor pilot and student pilot were landing the airplane in a waterway/canal. Upon touching down, the airplane veered to the right contacting the… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 13, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194256. 2.4 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 13 pages, 2.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17142813&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20Master_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 181 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17143849&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Template-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.