- Date
- March 1, 2010, 15:35 local (20:35 UTC)
- Place
- Ft. Pierce, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N5460KCessna 172P
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 1, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20100301028499I
- Case key
- 75645
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The student pilot's improper flare and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action, resulting in a hard landing.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
According to the certified flight instructor, the student pilot was on approach for landing to runway 10 left. Prior to touchdown the student pilot pulled excessive back pressure on the elevator flight control and the airplane ballooned before touching down hard on the main landing gear. The flight instructor then took over the flight controls, made a go-around, and landed on another runway. The airplane received substantial damage to the rudder torque tube.
Factual narrative
According to the certified flight instructor, the student pilot was on approach for landing to runway 10 left. Prior to touchdown the student pilot pulled excessive back pressure on the elevator flight control and the airplane ballooned before touching down hard on the main landing gear. The certified flight instructor then took over the flight controls, made a go-around, and landed on another runway. The airplane received substantial damage to the rudder torque tube.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5460K
- Reported as
- Cessna 172P
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17274126
- Airframe hours
- 12,397
- Engine
- Lycoming 0-320-D2J, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Ari Ben Aviator Inc
- Registered owner
- Ari Ben Aviator Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · February 13, 2010 · 60 hours before
- Departed
- FPR · Ft. Pierce, FL
- Destination
- FPR · Ft. Pierce, FL
- Airport
- FPR · Sant Lucie County Intl, runway 10L, 4,000 × 75 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 26
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial, Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 9, 2009
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 1,140 total · 1,000 in this make and model · 950 as pilot in command · 220 in the last 90 days · 93 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 14
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 24 total · 24 in this make and model · 24 in the last 90 days · 24 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 110° at 106 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.96 inHg
- Observed at
- FPR
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 3, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 730 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N5460K · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.