CHI97LA250

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 172M · Keokuk, IA · August 6, 1997

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
August 6, 1997, 17:25 local (22:25 UTC)
Place
Keokuk, IA
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N13353Cessna 172M
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report December 15, 1997
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19970806021229A
Case key
10664

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

the pilot's improper flare and improper recovery from a bounced landing, which resulted in a porpoise, failure (collapse) of the nose gear, and a subsequent nose over.

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.

Hard landingLanding - flare/touchdown
Flare - improperPilot in commandCause
Recovery from bounced landing - improperPilot in commandCause
Porpoise/pilot-induced oscillation - inadvertentPilot in commandCause
Nose gear collapsedLanding - flare/touchdown
Landing gear,nose gear - overload
Nose overLanding

Analysis

The pilot reported that on final approach to the runway, the airplane was high on the glide slope, so he increased the flap setting to 40 degrees. He stated that he flew past the numbers and fixed distance marker, then initiated a flare. Also, the pilot reported, 'Flared high, banged hard on the two main wheels. Bounced up and came down again. Bounced about 5 more times.' On the fifth bounce the nose gear broke off. The pilot reported that the airplane veered off the prepared runway surface, crossed a taxiway, into a grass section between the taxiway and runway 8. After reaching the grass section, the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted.

Factual narrative

On August 6, 1997 at 1725 central daylight time (cdt), a Cessna 172M, N13353, sustained substantial damage after nosing over, during a landing roll at the Keokuk Municipal Airport, Keokuk, Iowa. The student pilot reported no injuries. The 14 Part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was on file. The flight departed Ottumwa, Iowa at 1639 cdt, for a student solo cross country flight.

In a written statement, the pilot reported that on final approach to Runway 03 at the Keokuk Municipal Airport he was high on the glide slope so he increased the flap setting to 40 degrees. The pilot stated that he flew past the numbers and fixed distance marker, then initiated a flare. The pilot reported, "Flared high, banged hard on the two main wheels. Bounced up and came down again. Bounced about 5 more times." On the fifth bounce the nose gear broke off. The pilot reported that the airplane veered off the prepared runway surface, crossed a taxiway, into a grass section between the taxiway and Runway 08. Upon reaching the grass section, the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. The pilot exited the aircraft, uninjured, and waited for assistance.

Aircraft

Registration
N13353
Reported as
Cessna 172M
Category
Airplane
Serial number
17262692
Airframe hours
5,371
Engine
Lycoming O-320-E2D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Registered owner
Ottumwa Flying Services Inc
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · June 17, 1997 · 36 hours before
Departed
OTM · Ottumwa, IA
Destination
EOK
Airport
EOK · Keokuk Municipal, runway 3, 3,801 × 100 ft, concrete

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
42
Certificate
Student
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Left
Flight hours
31 total · 31 in this make and model · 5 as pilot in command · 22 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
50° at 3 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
73 °F, dew point 52 °F
Altimeter
30.00 inHg
Observed at
EOK, 1 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.