# NTSB ERA10CA512: Cessna 172R, N429FF, Hampton, VA, April 30, 2010 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: April 30, 2010, 15:00 local (19:00 UTC) - Place: Hampton, VA - Coordinates: 37.076389, -76.356391 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.0764&lon=-76.3564&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 12, 2011 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 77620 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA10CA512 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/77620/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=77620 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10CA512 ## Probable cause The student pilot's inadequate landing flare and improper recovery from a bounced landing. Contributing to the accident was the student’s decision to land with a tailwind. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172R, 37 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=2072401), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172R, 15 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=2072401), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) - [Wind: tailwind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation; cases with it: [Cessna 172R, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015/cases.md?model=2072401), [All aircraft, 594 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015/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: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172R, 25 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=2072401), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md) ## Analysis The student pilot was landing at his home airport at the conclusion of a solo cross-country flight. He stated that when he contacted the air traffic control tower he was offered the option of runway 8, which had a tailwind, or 26, which had a crosswind. He stated that he wrongly chose to land on runway 8. During the landing flare, the airplane bounced and the nose landing gear impacted the runway, resulting in substantial damage to the engine firewall. The student pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane. At the time of the accident, the wind was from 230 degrees at 11 knots. ## Factual narrative The student pilot was landing at his home airport at the conclusion of a solo cross-country flight. He stated that when he contacted the air traffic control tower he was offered the option of runway 8 or 26. He chose to land on runway 8, which, "...had more of a tailwind at the time" and that in hindsight he "...should have taken the headwind instead." During the landing flare, the airplane "porpoised," and the nose landing gear impacted the runway, resulting in substantial damage to the engine firewall. The student pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies of the airplane. Winds, recorded at the airport about the time of the accident, were from 230 degrees true at 11 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N429FF](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N429FF), registered now, S/N 17281229, built 2004 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172R - Registry model: [Cessna 172R](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172r) (registry code 2072401) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-360-L2A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-l2a) (registry code 41597, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17281229 - Airframe hours: 33 - Engines: LYCOMING IO-360-L2A 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Langley Aero Club - Registered owner: Langley Aero Club - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, January 31, 2010 - Departed: SFQ, Suffolk, VA - Destination: LFI, Hampton, VA - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: LFI, Langley Air Force Base, runway 08, 10,000 × 150 ft, concrete ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 26; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 58 total, 58 in this make and model, 58 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 230° at 11 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 29.88 inHg - Observed at: LFI ## 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 20100430049499A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100430049499A), Apr 30, 2010: Cessna 172R, Substantial damage. *Note: box 31 regulatory check ride date is student pilot's first solo. Aircraft damage was discovered during routine maintenance. Student pilot made a hard… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 7, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=77620. 11.7 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 9.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40338771&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Weather Reports and Records (item 2, .PDF, 79 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40338893&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Reports%20and%20Records-Master.PDF - Memorandum for Record - Pilot Interview (item 3, .PDF, 25 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40338784&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20-%20Pilot%20Interview-Master.PDF - Photo 1: Digital Photograph Provided by FAA. View Showing Damage to the Engine Firewall (item 4, .PDF, 2.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40338772&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%3A%20Digital%20Photograph%20Provided%20by%20FAA.%20View%20Showing%20Damage%20to%20the%20Engine%20Firewall-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.