# NTSB DEN99LA103: Cessna 172N, N359DS, Grand Junction, CO, June 11, 1999

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: June 11, 1999, 10:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place: Grand Junction, CO
- Coordinates: 39.110622, -108.530052 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.1106&lon=-108.5301&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report April 25, 2001
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 46520
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN99LA103
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/46520/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN99LA103

## Probable cause

A hard landing when the pilot failed to sufficiently flare the aircraft for touch down.  Factors were high-density altitude, and the pilot's lack of total flight experience.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown
  - weather condition - high density altitude (contributing factor)
  - touchdown - misjudged, pilot in command (cause)
  - flare - inadequate, pilot in command (cause)
  - lack of total experience, pilot in command (contributing factor)

## Analysis

The 22-hour total flight time student pilot was conducting touch-and-go landings.  The third landing was hard and touch down was on the nose wheel causing damage to the nose wheel assembly, firewall, and windscreen.  The wind was a 90-degree right cross wind at 5 knots and the density altitude was approximately 6,500 feet msl.

## Factual narrative

On June 11, 1999, at 1000 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N359DS, sustained substantial damage during a hard landing at Walker Field, Grand Junction, Colorado.  The solo student pilot was not injured.  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for this instructional flight operating under Title 14 CFR Part 91 and no flight plan was filed.

According to the pilot, he was conducting touch-and-go landings on runway 11 (length 10,501 feet, width 150 feet, asphalt surface).  On his third landing he failed to flare sufficiently and landed hard on the nose wheel, causing damage to the nose wheel assembly, engine firewall, and windscreen.

Weather at the time was clear skies, temperature of 66 degrees Fahrenheit, wind from 200 degrees magnetic at 5 knots, and density altitude of approximately 6,500 feet above mean sea level (msl).  Airport elevation is 4,858 feet msl.

According to his pilot report of the accident, the pilot had 22 hours of total flight time and 1 hour as pilot in command.  He had flown 12 hours in the previous 90 days, and 5 hours in the previous 30 days.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N359DS (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: Cessna 172N
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 69408
- Airframe hours: 3454
- Engines: Lycoming O-320-H2AD 160 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Registered owner: I Fly Strand Aviation, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, May 13, 1999, 63 hours before
- Departed: GJT
- Airport: GJT, Walker Field, runway 11, 10,501 × 150 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 47; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 22 total, 22 in this make and model, 1 as pilot in command, 12 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 200° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 66 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: GJT

## 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 19990611007079A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990611007079A), Jun 11, 1999: Cessna 172N, Grand Junction, CO, Substantial damage. Acft landed on the nose gear, and the gear buckled into the firewall, other circumstances are unknown. (-23) on June 11, 1999 at 1000 mountain daylight time, a…

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.

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