# NTSB CHI05LA227: Cessna 172S, N632FA, Zeeland, MI, August 11, 2005

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: August 11, 2005, 10:00 local (14:00 UTC)
- Place: Zeeland, MI
- Coordinates: 42.817222, -85.928054
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.8172&lon=-85.9281&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report August 29, 2006
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration
- NTSB case key (mKey): 62635
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI05LA227
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/62635/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI05LA227

## Probable cause

The inadequate flare by the pilot during landing.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown
  - flare - inadequate, pilot in command (cause)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, landing - flare/touchdown
  - terrain condition - ground

## Analysis

The instructional airplane received substantial damage during a bounced landing.  The student pilot stated that she did not flare enough.

## Factual narrative

On August 11, 2005, at 1000 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172S, N632FA, operated by Benz Aviation LLC, as a rental/instructional airplane, received substantial damage on impact with terrain during a hard landing on runway 02 (3,800 feet by 60 feet, asphalt) at Ottawa Executive Airport (Z98), Zeeland, Michigan.  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident.  The 14 CFR Part 91 student solo instructional flight was not operating on a flight plan.  The student pilot received no injuries.  The local flight originated from Z98 at 0930.

The pilot stated that the airplane bounced after she did not flare "enough."

## Aircraft

- Registration: N632FA (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: Cessna 172S
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 172S9632
- Airframe hours: 447.9
- Engines: Lycoming IO-360 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Registered owner: Benz Aviation LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, July 1, 2005, 52.4 hours before
- Departed: Z98, Zeeland, MI
- Destination: Z98, Zeeland, MI
- Airport: Z98, Ottawa Executive, runway 02, 3,800 × 60 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Student pilot; age 67; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3; seat: left; flight hours: 69 total, 48 in this make and model, 3 as pilot in command, 15 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 100° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observed at: BIV, 9 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 (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20050811024579A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050811024579A), Aug 11, 2005: Cessna 172S, Zeeland, MI, Substantial damage. (-23) Student pilot on local solo flight on second landing hit on nose wheel and damaged firewall and bottom aircraft structure forward of main landing gear…

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.

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