- Date
- April 12, 2000, 19:00 local (Apr 13, 2000, 00:00 UTC)
- Place
- Chesterfield, MO
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N5909ECessna 172N
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 17, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20000412040279A
- Case key
- 49007
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
the pilot misjudged the landing flare which resulted in the airplane porpoising on the runway during the landing.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot reported the accident occurred on the fourth touch and go of the flight. The pilot reported that she pulled the power to idle when the airplane was over the runway. The airplane touched down and porpoised. She reported the airplane porpoised three times prior to coming to rest on the runway. The pilot stated that she was unaware that the nose tire was flat and she initiated another takeoff. She stated that after becoming airborne she noticed a shimmer and the airplane had a tendency to veer to the left. She aborted the takeoff and stopped the airplane on the runway.
Factual narrative
On April 12, 2000, at 1900 central daylight time (cdt), a Cessna 172N, N5909E, operated by a private pilot porpoised while landing on runway 08L (5,000' x 75', dry asphalt) at the Spirit of St. Louis Airport, Chesterfield, Missouri. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The local flight originated at the Spirit of St. Louis Airport, at 1830 cdt.
The pilot reported the accident occurred on the fourth touch and go of the flight. She stated that while she was on downwind, she requested a wind check and was informed the winds were from 120 degrees at 12 knots. She reported she decided to use 20 degrees of flaps for the landing. The pilot reported that she pulled the power to idle when the airplane was over the runway. The airplane touched down and porpoised. She reported the airplane porpoised three times prior to coming to rest on the runway.
The pilot stated that she was unaware that the nose tire was flat and she initiated another takeoff. She stated that after becoming airborne she noticed a shimmer and the airplane had a tendency to veer to the left. She aborted the takeoff and stopped the airplane on the runway.
Post accident inspection of the airplane revealed the nose wheel was flat, the firewall had sustained damage, and one propeller blade tip was missing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5909E
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17271958
- Airframe hours
- 7,972
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-H2AD, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Thunder Aviation Acquisition
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · April 7, 2000 · 15 hours before
- Departed
- SUS
- Destination
- SUS
- Airport
- SUS · Spirit Of St. Louis, runway 8L, 5,000 × 75 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 38
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 79 total · 79 in this make and model · 15 as pilot in command · 22 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 120° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SUS
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.