# NTSB CHI03LA166: Cessna 172H, N1730F, Council Bluffs, IA, May 27, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 26, 2003, 20:00 local (May 27, 2003, 01:00 UTC) - Place: Council Bluffs, IA - Coordinates: 41.259445, -95.760002 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.2594&lon=-95.7600&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 30, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA -- Des Moines FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 57528 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI03LA166 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/57528/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI03LA166 ## Probable cause Misjudgment of the landing flare by the pilot in command resulting in a hard landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare - misjudged, pilot in command (cause) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis The aircraft sustained substantial damaged during a hard landing. The pilot subsequently lost control and the aircraft departed the runway surface. The firewall exhibited wrinkling consistent with a vertical impact to the nose landing gear. The propeller was reportedly damaged beyond repairable limits. The nose wheel steering linkage was intact. The pilot reported no malfunctions with the airframe or engine prior to the accident. Calm winds were reported at the airport five minutes before the accident. ## Factual narrative On May 26, 2003, at 2000 central daylight time, a Cessna 172H, N1730F, operated by a private pilot, was substantially damaged while landing on runway 13 (4,100 feet x 75 feet, concrete) at Council Bluffs Municipal Airport (CBF), Council Bluffs, Iowa. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was not operating on a flight plan. The pilot reported no injuries. The flight originated from the Jackson Municipal Airport (MJQ), Jackson, Minnesota, approximately 1815. In his written statement, the pilot reported: "After a direct VFR flight to Council Bluffs (CBF) I landed the airplane. When the nose wheel touched down I heard a noise and felt vibration, I brought the aircraft to a complete stop and turned off the active runway, I exited the aircraft and observed the damage to the nosewheel, [propeller] blade and cowling." A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector observed the aircraft under repair at CBF. When questioned, the shop foreman stated that the damage to the aircraft occurred as a result of the aircraft going off the runway during landing. The inspector reported that he contacted the pilot and was told that the aircraft went a short distance off the runway during landing. The pilot stated that he thought the nose tire blew out. The pilot reported that there had been no damage to the runway or runway lights. Examination of the aircraft revealed the nose wheel, cowling and firewall had been damaged. The propeller had been removed and was reportedly damaged beyond repairable limits. Wrinkling in the firewall extended from the lower outboard corner to the center of the panel, above the nose landing gear strut attachment point. The nose wheel steering linkage was intact. The pilot reported no malfunctions with the airframe or engine prior to the accident. Winds reported by the CBF Automated Weather Observing System, at 1955, were calm. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1730F](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1730F), registered now, S/N 17255125, built 1966 (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: 17255125 - Airframe hours: 3573.4 - Engines: Continental O-300-D 145 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: John F. Dalton - Registered owner: Jeked Co - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, December 11, 2002, 19.7 hours before - Departed: MJQ, Jackson, MN - Destination: CBF, Council Bluffs, IA - Airport: CBF, Council Bluffs Muni, runway 130, 4,100 × 75 ft, concrete ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 56; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, expired; last flight review April 29, 2002; seat: left; flight hours: 350 total, 350 in this make and model, 350 as pilot in command, 9 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 43 °F - Altimeter: 30.13 inHg - Observed at: CBF ## 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 20030526015219A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030526015219A), May 26, 2003: Cessna 172H, Council Bluffs, IA, Substantial damage. (-23) The pilot reported that he thought that the nose tire blew out during landing after which he was unable to stop the aircraft from veering off the runway. 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.