# NTSB DEN04LA127: Cessna 172S, N849SP, Carlsbad, NM, August 19, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 19, 2004, 11:30 local (17:30 UTC) - Place: Carlsbad, NM - Coordinates: 32.400527, -104.230926 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.4005&lon=-104.2309&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 24, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 59959 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN04LA127 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/59959/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN04LA127 ## Probable cause the student pilot's inadequate flare resulting in a hard landing. A contributing factor was the tailwind conditions. ## 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) - weather condition - tailwind (contributing factor) - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - Nose gear collapsed, landing - flare/touchdown ## Analysis According to the student pilot, the airplane landed hard on runway 14 and bounced. During the second touch down, the airplane's propeller struck the runway. The student pilot taxied the airplane clear of the runway and shut down the engine. An examination of the airplane revealed that the nose landing gear was displaced aft and the airplane's firewall was buckled. At 1053 and 1153, the reported wind conditions at CNM were, 320 degrees at 11 knots, and 350 degrees at 9 knots, respectively. ## Factual narrative On August 19, 2004, at 1130 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 172S, N849SP, piloted by a student pilot, was substantially damaged during a hard landing at Cavern City Air Terminal (CNM), Carlsbad, New Mexico. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The solo cross-country instructional flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot was not injured. The flight to Carlsbad, originated at Hobbs, New Mexico, at approximately 1045. According to the student pilot, the airplane landed hard on runway 14 and bounced. During the second touchdown, the airplane's propeller struck the runway. The student pilot taxied the airplane clear of the runway and shut down the engine. An examination of the airplane revealed that the nose landing gear was displaced aft and the airplane's firewall was buckled. At 1053 and 1153, the reported wind conditions at CNM were, 320 degrees at 11 knots, and 350 degrees at 9 knots, respectively. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N849SP](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N849SP-2006-03-30), registration cancelled 2006-03-30, S/N 172S8757, built 2001 (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: 17258757 - Airframe hours: 1644.9 - Engines: Lycoming Io-360 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Great Southwest Aviation Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 2, 2004, 23.6 hours before - Departed: HOB, Hobbs, NM - Destination: ROS, Roswell, NM - Airport: CNM, Cavern City Air Terminal, runway 14L, 4,615 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 19; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 56 total, 12 in this make and model, 7 as pilot in command, 56 in the last 90 days, 16 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 320° at 11 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 30.04 inHg - Observed at: KCNM ## 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 20040819021479A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040819021479A), Aug 19, 2004: Cessna 172S, Carlsbad, NM, Substantial damage. (-23) On August 19, 2004 at 1130 MDT, a Cessna 172 N849SP, registered to great southwest aviation inc. sustained a propeller strike on landing at Cavern city… ## Other investigations on N849SP (1) 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. - [NTSB DEN05FA044](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN05FA044), Dec 28, 2004: Cessna 172S (N849SP), Roswell, NM, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: the pilot not maintaining control of the aircraft resulting in an uncontrolled descent and collision on a highway. Factors contributing to the accident were the dark night and the pilot experiencing… 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.