- Date
- July 16, 1997, 09:45 local (14:45 UTC)
- Place
- Ottumwa, IA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N733FTCessna 172
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 7, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970716047699A
- Case key
- 10632
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 improper flare performed by the student and the inadequate recovery from the bounced landing. A factor related to the accident was the student lack of experience.
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 accident occurred during the second landing of the student's first solo flight. The student reported that during the landing the airplane bounced three or four times coming down on the nose gear first. The student attempted remedial action to no avail.
Factual narrative
On July 16, 1997, at 0945 central daylight time, a Cessna 172, N733FT, operated by a student pilot collided with the terrain following a loss of control during a landing flare on runway 31 (6,499' x 150') at the Ottumwa Industrial Airport, Ottumwa, Iowa. The student pilot was not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The local flight was being conducted in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The flight originated from Ottumwa, Iowa, at 0930 central standard time.
The accident occurred during the second landing on the student's first solo flight. The student reported that the first landing was "... O.K., but a little bit rough." The student reported that during the second landing flare the airplane bounced three or four times coming down on the nose gear first. The student reported adding power in an attempt to recover. The student continued to state, "I probably flared too soon when the airspeed was still to high... ."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N733FT
- Reported as
- Cessna 172
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17268267
- Airframe hours
- 3,683
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-H2AD, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Ottumwa Flying Service
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · April 7, 1997 · 58 hours before
- Departed
- OTM
- Destination
- OTM
- Airport
- OTM · Ottumwa Industrial, runway 22, 5,178 × 200 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 22
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 18 total · 18 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 6 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N733FT · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.