# NTSB CHI05CA035: Cessna 172S, N967SA, Anderson, IN, November 21, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: November 21, 2004, 15:25 local (20:25 UTC) - Place: Anderson, IN - Coordinates: 40.108612, -85.613052 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.1086&lon=-85.6131&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 24, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 60639 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI05CA035 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/60639/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI05CA035 ## Probable cause The student pilot's improper flare and his inadequate recovery from a bounced landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare - improper, pilot in command (cause) - recovery from bounced landing - inadequate, pilot in command - porpoise/pilot-induced oscillation - encountered, pilot in command (contributing factor) ## Analysis 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." ## Factual narrative 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. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N967SA](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N967SA), registered now, S/N 172S9067, built 2002 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172S - Registry model: [Cessna 172S](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s) (registry code 2072439) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-360-L2A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-l2a) (registry code 41597, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 172S9067 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360-L2A 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Victory Aviation - Registered owner: Faurote Equipment Leasing Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, September 22, 2004, 69.1 hours before - Departed: SBN, SOUTH BEND, IN - Destination: AID, Anderson, IN - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: AID, Anderson Municipal-Darlington, runway 30, 4,500 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 50; injuries: none; student; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 54 total, 54 in this make and model, 9 as pilot in command, 19 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 340° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 48 °F, dew point 37 °F - Altimeter: 30.26 inHg - Observed at: AID ## 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 20041121032199A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20041121032199A), Nov 21, 2004: Cessna 172S, Anderson, IN, Substantial damage. (-23) On November 21, 2004, at approximately 2025Z, the pilot [privacy data omitted] was the sole occupant and manipulator of the controls of N967SA, a 2002… 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.