- Date
- August 13, 2003, 19:50 local (Aug 14, 2003, 00:50 UTC)
- Place
- Harvard, IL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N7054QCessna 172L
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 2, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20030813023449A
- Case key
- 57701
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's improper flare which led to a hard 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 airplane nosed over following a hard landing during a solo instructional flight. The pilot practiced several takeoffs and landings with his instructor. The flight instructor then exited the airplane and he made two uneventful solo landings. The accident occurred on the third landing. The pilot stated that he closed the throttle when he reached his "aim point" on the airstrip. He stated the airplane then dropped from an altitude of about 8 feet, landing on the nose wheel. The airplane bounced and came down again at which time the nose gear collapsed. The propeller contacted the ground and the airplane nosed over.
Factual narrative
On August 13, 2003, at 1950 central daylight time, a Cessna 172L, N7054Q, nosed over while landing on runway 09 (3,589 feet by 100 feet, grass) at the Dacy Airport (0C0), Harvard, Illinois. The student pilot was not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The 14 CFR Part 91 solo instructional flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The flight originated at 0C0 at 1830.
The student pilot reported the purpose of the flight was to practice takeoffs and landings. He stated he performed three takeoffs and landings with his flight instructor in the airplane. The flight instructor then exited the airplane and he continued to practice takeoffs and landings. He stated he made two uneventful landings and the accident happened on the third landing.
The pilot stated that he closed the throttle when he reached his "aim point" on the airstrip. He stated the airplane then dropped from an altitude of about 8 feet, landing on the nose wheel. The airplane bounced and came down again at which time the nose gear collapsed. The propeller contacted the ground and the airplane nosed over.
The pilot stated a groove was visible in the airstrip were the nose wheel made the initial contact. The nose gear separated from the airplane and was found between the initial contact point and the final resting place of airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7054Q
- Reported as
- Cessna 172L
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17260354
- Airframe hours
- 6,200
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Mag-Aero
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 2, 2003 · 92 hours before
- Departed
- 0C0 · Harvard, IL
- Destination
- 0C0 · Harvard, IL
- Airport
- 0C0 · Dacy, runway 09, 3,589 × 100 ft, grass/turf
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 51
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 76 total · 34 in this make and model · 12 as pilot in command · 19 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.32 inHg
- Observed at
- RFD, 29 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.