# NTSB DEN02LA087: Cessna R172K, N758AR, Monticello, UT, August 4, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 4, 2002, 11:15 local (17:15 UTC) - Place: Monticello, UT - Coordinates: 37.979106, -109.289947 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.9791&lon=-109.2899&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 6, 2002 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 55422 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN02LA087 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/55422/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN02LA087 ## Probable cause the student pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing factors include the porpoise and subsequent bounced landing and the student pilot's lack of total experience. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - porpoise/pilot-induced oscillation - encountered, pilot in command (contributing factor) - lack of total experience, pilot in command (contributing factor) - recovery from bounced landing - not performed, pilot in command (contributing factor) - weather condition - turbulence ## Analysis The student pilot was on a solo cross-country flight and was conducting a touch-and-go landing at an enroute airport. The approach was "normal with slight turbulence and a quartering headwind." His flare was "straight down the runway, however [he] struck the nose wheel first and started to porpoise." The airplane porpoised several times and struck the edge of the runway hard, collapsing the nose landing gear and buckling the firewall. He maneuvered the airplane back on to the runway and taxied it to the parking area. ## Factual narrative On August 4, 2002, at approximately 1115 mountain daylight time, a Cessna R172K, N758AR, operated by SB Aviation Group Inc., was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain during a touch-and-go landing at Monticello Airport (U43), Monticello, Utah. The student pilot, the sole occupant on board, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. A visual flight rules flight plan was filed for this cross-country solo flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated at Four Corners Regional Airport (FMN), Farmington, New Mexico, at approximately 0830. According to the student pilot, he was on a solo cross-country flight and was conducting a touch-and-go landing at Monticello. The approach was "normal with slight turbulence and a quartering headwind." His flare was "straight down the runway, however I struck the nose wheel first and started to porpoise." The airplane porpoised several times and struck the edge of the runway hard, collapsing the nose landing gear and buckling the firewall. He maneuvered the airplane back on to the runway and taxied it to the parking area. At the time of the accident, the weather conditions at Moab, UT, located at 350 degrees and 50 statute miles from Monticello were: wind, 070 degrees at 5 knots; visibility, 10 statute miles; temperature, 28 degrees Celsius (82 degrees Fahrenheit), dew point, 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit); and the altimeter setting was, 30.18. The calculated density altitude at was 7,477 ft. msl. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N758AR](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N758AR), registered now, S/N R1722946, built 1978 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna R172K - Registry model: [Cessna R172K](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-r172k) (registry code 2072431) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-360-series) (registry code 17025, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: R1722946 - Airframe hours: 6027 - Engines: Continental IO-360-KB 210 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Sevenbar Four Corners - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, June 26, 2002, 55 hours before - Departed: CNY, Moab, UT - Destination: FMN, Farmington, NM - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: U43, Monticello, runway 16, 4,817 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 17; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 31 total, 15 in this make and model, 8 as pilot in command, 6 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 70° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 50 °F - Altimeter: 30.18 inHg - Observed at: CNY, 50 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 20020804018699A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020804018699A), Aug 4, 2002: Cessna R172K, Monticello, UT, Substantial damage. (-23) At 65 knots and 30 degrees flaps the student landed the nose wheel first and bounced 10 to 15 feet back into the air. The second impact on the nose 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. --- 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.