# NTSB ERA10CA200: Cessna 172, N21394, Sarasota, FL, March 30, 2010 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: March 30, 2010, 16:10 local (20:10 UTC) - Place: Sarasota, FL - Coordinates: 27.390556, -82.552497 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.3906&lon=-82.5525&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 August 12, 2010 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 75620 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA10CA200 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/75620/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=75620 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10CA200 ## Probable cause The student pilot's inadequate recovery from a bounced landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 206 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 32 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 21 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 1,269 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/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) - [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 76 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the student pilot, he was on his first solo cross-country flight but decided to return to his departure airport as he was uncomfortable with the winds. On landing, the airplane bounced and the nose landing gear collapsed. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane. A left-quartering headwind at 12 knots was present at the time of the accident. ## Factual narrative According to the student pilot, he was on his first solo cross-country flight, but decided to return to his departure airport as he was uncomfortable with the winds. On landing, the airplane bounced and the nose landing gear collapsed. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane. A left-quartering headwind at 12 knots was present at the time of the accident. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N21394](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N21394), registered now, S/N 172S10449, built 2007 (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: 172S10449 - Airframe hours: 1620 - Engines: LYCOMING IO-360 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Cirrus Aviation - Registered owner: Long Island Aviators LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 4, 2010 - Departed: SRQ, Sarasota, FL - Destination: SRQ, Sarasota, FL - Flight plan: Unknown - Airport: SRQ, Sarasota/Bradenton Internation, runway 32, 9,500 × 150 ft, concrete ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 42; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 47 total, 47 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 290° at 12 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 68 °F, dew point 45 °F - Altimeter: 30.02 inHg - Observed at: SRQ ## 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 20100330036599A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100330036599A), Mar 30, 2010: Cessna 172S, Sarasota, FL, Substantial damage. [privacy data omitted] Started on his solo cross flight to sebring, Florida. When he leveled off at 3,500 feet MSL he decided to return to Sarasota, Florida… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 10, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=75620. 701 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 587 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40328955&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Witness Statement (Pilot) (item 2, .PDF, 35 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40328956&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statement%20(Pilot)-Master.PDF - Weather Reports and Records (item 3, .PDF, 79 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40329185&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Reports%20and%20Records-Master.PDF 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.