CHI05CA035

The airplane, piloted by a student pilot, sustained substantial damage during a hard landing. The pilot stated that he propoised four times. He said, "I was surprised by the magnitude of the second bounce, which I estimated to be 5-6 feet. I added power to flatten the porpoise-condition, and retained the yoke in position. There was a brief delay in moving one hand from the yoke to the throttle plus the delay in recognition of the magnitude of the bounce and porpoising effect. However, it appears to me that at the time I added power, I was already in the downward arc of the porpoise. Adding power did little in that instant but drive the front down faster before the elevators could provide lift. I felt like I had a hard three-point landing or had struck the nose wheel first. I believe the propeller struck during the third contact, but I was not aware of it having happened then."

On November 21, 2004, about 1525 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172S, N967SA, piloted by a student pilot, sustained substantial damage during a hard landing on runway 30 (5,400 feet by 100 feet, dry asphalt) at the Anderson Municipal Airport-Darlington Field (AID), near Anderson, Indiana. The solo instructional flight was operating under 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot reported that a visual flight rules flight plan was filed and that he sustained no injuries. The flight originated from the South Bend Regional Airport, near South Bend, Indiana, at 1400.

The pilot's accident report stated:

I approached AID 30 runway per instructions from tower.

On initial final I was high relative to glide slope indicator

showing 4 white lights. At that time airspeed was about

75 kias (faster than desired 68), flaps were at 30, and

engine rpms were 1300- 1400 (below target, with intent to

bring plane to glide slope). I held nose up to slow plane.

These tactics had the plane at 70-72 kias and on glide slope

one or two markers out from threshold. I expected that I

would have to arrest downward momentum more than usual,

so I set my touchdown point further down the runway to the

first bars on the runway. I heard the stall horn before initial

contact with the runway. The intention was to bleed the

excess speed and momentum sacrificing runway distance as

the runway was 5400 feet.

Given the downward momentum and the speed, I expected

the first bounce and its magnitude, which I estimated to be

1-2 feet. I maintained the pitch and flair for the second

contact. I heard the stall horn before second contact.

I was surprised by the magnitude of the second bounce, which

I estimated to be 5-6 feet. I added power to flatten the

porpoise-condition, and retained the yoke in position. There

was a brief delay in moving one hand from the yoke to the

throttle plus the delay in recognition of the magnitude of the

bounce and porpoising effect. However, it appears to me that

at the time I added power, I was already in the downward arc

of the porpoise. Adding power did little in that instant but

drive the front down faster before the elevators could provide

lift. I felt like I had a hard three-point landing or had struck

the nose wheel first.

I believe the propeller struck during the third contact, but I

was not aware of it having happened then.

The bounce from that contact was back to 1-2 feet reflecting

the countermeasures of increased throttle and yoke/pitch that

I had already put in place. The fourth contact was the final

and I continued to roll.

The Anderson tower appears to have been unaware of any

incident (other than possibly a sloppy landing) because he

simply instructed me to the taxi way and ramp.

It was not until I stopped at Law Aviation and shutdown the

engine that I noticed the bent prop. The bend was

approximately 3" long on both ends and pointed in the

direction of the cockpit/cowling. Neither I nor the line man

who directed me in to the T, noticed any different engine

sounds, or upon further inspection, other damage.