# NTSB DEN02LA088: Cessna 172S, N238SP, Englewood, CO, August 4, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 4, 2002, 11:40 local (17:40 UTC) - Place: Englewood, CO - Coordinates: 39.57925, -104.859268 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.5793&lon=-104.8593&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 1, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 55423 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN02LA088 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/55423/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN02LA088 ## Probable cause the instructor's inadequate supervision of the flight and his premature raising of the flaps, resulting in a hard landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - flare - improper, dual student (cause) - aborted landing - initiated, dual student - raising of flaps - premature, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - stall/mush - inadvertent, dual student ## Analysis The pilot receiving instruction was flying the airplane from the right seat. He made four touch-and-go landings. The fifth approach was normal, with a flap setting of 30 degrees, but the flare was too high and the airplane landed hard and bounced. The pilot added full power and began to fly down the runway for a go-around. The instructor "adjusted the flap position and the airplane lost all lift and fell to the runway." The airplane slid across a grassy area and came to a halt on the taxiway. ## Factual narrative On August 4, 2002, approximately 1140 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 172S, N238SP, registered to EDB Air, Inc., and operated by Key Lime Flight School, both of Englewood, Colorado, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain during a touch-and-go landing at Centennial Airport, Englewood, CO. The instructor pilot and commercial pilot receiving instruction were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the instructional flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The local flight originated approximately 1030. According to the pilot receiving instruction, he was flying the airplane from the right seat. He made four touch-and-go landings. The fifth approach was normal, with a flap setting of 30 degrees, but the flare was too high and the airplane landed hard and bounced. He added full power and began to fly down the runway for a go-around. He said the instructor "adjusted the flap position and the airplane lost all lift and fell to the runway." The airplane slid across a grassy area and came to a halt on the taxiway. The nose landing gear was collapsed and the firewall was buckled. Both propeller blades were curled forward. The following weather observation was recorded shortly after the accident: wind, variable at 4 knots; visibility, 10 statute miles; temperature, 81 degrees Fahrenheit; dew point, 52 degrees Fahrenheit; altimeter, 30.25. The airport elevation was 5,883 ft. msl, and the calculated density altitude was 8,385 ft. msl. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N238SP](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N238SP), registered now, S/N 172S8223, built 1999 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172S - Registry model: [Cessna 172S](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s) (registry code 2072439) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 172S8223 - Airframe hours: 602.9 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Key Lime Flights - Registered owner: EDB Air Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, June 13, 2002, 66.4 hours before - Departed: APA, Englewood, CO - Airport: APA, Centennial, runway 17R, 10,002 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 36; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review August 1, 2001; seat: left; flight hours: 466 total, 347 in this make and model, 388 as pilot in command, 41 in the last 90 days, 15 in the last 30 days - Flight instructor; age 48; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: right; flight hours: 283 total, 106 in this make and model, 203 as pilot in command, 45 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 0° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 52 °F - Altimeter: 30.25 inHg - Observed at: KAPA ## 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 20020804021319A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020804021319A), Aug 4, 2002: Cessna 172S, Denver, CO, Substantial damage. (-23) The commercial pilot flight instructor was conducting dual flight instruction with a commercial pilot at the controls flying from the right seat. The… 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.