# NTSB ERA10CA326: Cessna 172, N62568, New Smyrna Beach, FL, June 9, 2010 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: June 9, 2010, 14:45 local (18:45 UTC) - Place: New Smyrna Beach, FL - Coordinates: 29.055555, -80.94889 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.0556&lon=-80.9489&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: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 20, 2010 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 76404 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA10CA326 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/76404/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=76404 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10CA326 ## Probable cause The student pilot’s improper landing flare, and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Action: delayed action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 30 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 894 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md) - [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, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Incorrect use/operation; cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 99 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/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-flare/touchdown: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 118 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The flight instructor stated that after an uneventful local flight in the practice area, the student pilot and he returned to the airport for some landings. During the student pilot’s first landing, he flared too high and went around. The flight instructor demonstrated the subsequent landing and takeoff. He then transferred control of the airplane back to the student pilot, who flew the next traffic pattern and landing attempt. During the landing flare, the student pilot "abruptly" moved the yoke full forward. “My reaction time was not sufficient to completely correct the control inputs, which resulted in a hard nose wheel landing, followed by a pronounced bounce." The flight instructor aborted the landing, and the airplane performed as normally expected. The flight instructor then requested that the tower controllers look at the nose landing gear in flight and they reported no anomalies. After landing, the flight instructor realized that the nose wheel was flat. Upon further inspection by maintenance personnel, it was discovered that the engine firewall was wrinkled and required major repair. ## Factual narrative The flight instructor stated that after an uneventful local flight in the practice area, the student pilot and he returned to the airport for some landings. During the student pilot’s first landing, he flared too high and went around. The flight instructor demonstrated the subsequent landing and takeoff. He then transferred control of the airplane back to the student pilot, who flew the next traffic pattern and landing attempt. During the landing flare, the student pilot "abruptly" moved the yoke full forward. “My reaction time was not sufficient to completely correct the control inputs, which resulted in a hard nose wheel landing, followed by a pronounced bounce." The flight instructor aborted the landing, and the airplane performed as normally expected. The flight instructor then requested that the tower controllers look at the nose landing gear in flight and they reported no anomalies. After landing, the flight instructor realized that the nose wheel was flat. Upon further inspection by maintenance personnel, it was discovered that the engine firewall was wrinkled and required major repair. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N62568](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N62568-2022-07-16), registration cancelled 2022-07-16, S/N 172S10726, built 2008 (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: 172S10726 - Airframe hours: 1975 - Engines: LYCOMING IO360-L2A 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Epic Aviation - Registered owner: Balderson Group Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 7, 2010, 5 hours before - Departed: EVB, New Smyrna Beach, FL - Destination: EVB, New Smyrna Beach, FL - Airport: EVB, New Smyrna Beach Municipal, runway 11, 4,319 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 38; injuries: none; flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review February 22, 2009; seat: right; flight hours: 5,440 total, 500 in this make and model, 2,632 as pilot in command, 71 in the last 90 days, 28 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours - Student pilot; age 42; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 1 total, 1 in this make and model, 1 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 80° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 70 °F - Altimeter: 30.10 inHg - Observed at: EVB ## 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 20100609038069A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100609038069A), Jun 9, 2010: Cessna 172S, New Smyrna Beac, FL, Substantial damage. While flaring to land aircraft hit nose gear first. Wrinkling firewall and blowing nose wheel tire. ## Other investigations on N62568 (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 ERA21LA215](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA215), May 14, 2021: Cessna 172 (N62568), Daytona Beach, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: Both pilots’ failure to maintain control during the landing flare and the flight instructor’s failure to maintain control during an attempted go-around, in gusting quartering headwind conditions,… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 21, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=76404. 1.7 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 404 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40332966&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - CFI's Statement (item 2, .PDF, 48 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40332967&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=CFI%27s%20Statement-Redacted.PDF - Student Pilot's Statement (item 3, .PDF, 11 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40332968&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Student%20Pilot%27s%20Statement-Master.PDF - FAA Digital Photo 1; Firewall buckling (item 4, .PDF, 436 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40332969&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Digital%20Photo%201;%20Firewall%20buckling-Master.PDF - FAA Digital Photo 2; Right side firewall buckling (item 5, .PDF, 844 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40332970&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Digital%20Photo%202;%20Right%20side%20firewall%20buckling-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.