# NTSB ERA09CA035: Cessna 172, N2055R, Asheville, NC, November 1, 2008

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: November 1, 2008, 15:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place: Asheville, NC
- Coordinates: 35.436111, -82.541664
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.4361&lon=-82.5417&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report December 24, 2008
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 69383
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA09CA035
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/69383/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09CA035

## Probable cause

The student pilot’s improper recovery from a bounced landing.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 32 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 1,388 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md)

## Analysis

While conducting touch and go landings during the student pilot’s first solo flight, the Cessna 172S hit the runway "hard" and then bounced. The pilot added power, but the airplane "stalled" and the nose of the airplane pitched down, impacting the runway on the nose landing gear. The fuselage and firewall were substantially damaged during landing.

## Factual narrative

While conducting touch and go landings during the student pilot’s first solo flight, the Cessna 172S hit the runway "hard" and then bounced. The pilot added power, but the airplane "stalled" and the nose of the airplane pitched down, impacting the runway on the nose landing gear. The fuselage and firewall were substantially damaged during landing.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N2055R](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2055R), registered now, S/N 172S9581, built 2004 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172 (S)
- Registry model: [Cessna 172S](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s) (registry code 2072439) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-360-L2A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-l2a) (registry code 41597, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 172S9581
- Airframe hours: 2321
- Engines: LYCOMING IO360 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: WNC Aviation
- Registered owner: WNC Aviation
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, September 11, 2008
- Departed: KAVL, Asheville, NC
- Destination: KAVL, Asheville, NC
- Airport: KAVL, Asheville Regional Airport, runway 34, 8,001 × 150 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Student pilot; age 42; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 18 total, 18 in this make and model, 18 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 340° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 66 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter: 30.34 inHg
- Observed at: KAVL

## 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 20081101853129A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20081101853129A), Nov 1, 2008: Cessna 172S, Asheville, NC, Substantial damage. A student pilot was attempting to make his first solo landing to runway 34 at avl. The CE-172 aircraft bounced and porpoised several times, then landing hard…

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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