- Date
- March 5, 2011, 11:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Ocracoke, NC
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N84867Cessna 172K
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 8, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20110305003669A
- Case key
- 78498
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 pilot’s inadequate flare and failure to regain control of the airplane while attempting to recover from bounced landing.
Findings · 2
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
The pilot reported that he maneuvered the airplane for an approach to the runway and was compensating for a crosswind. While over the approach end of the runway, about 20 feet above the ground, the airplane descended rapidly and touched down hard. As the airplane bounced back airborne, the pilot attempted to recover by applying full engine power and it started to accelerate. Before sufficient altitude was gained, the wind pushed the airplane to the left into bushes located about 30 feet off the runway. The airplane came to a full stop just short of mid field. The left side of the fuselage and left wing incurred substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he maneuvered the airplane for an approach to the runway and was compensating for a crosswind. He said that while over of the approach end of the runway, about 20 feet above the ground, the bottom seemed to drop out and the airplane slammed onto the runway and bounced back into the air. To recover, the pilot applied full engine power and the airplane started to accelerate, but before sufficient altitude was gained the wind pushed the airplane to the left into bushes located about 30 feet to the side of the runway. The airplane came to a full stop just short of mid field. The left side of the fuselage and left wing incurred substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions or any of the airplane’s systems prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N84867
- Reported as
- Cessna 172K
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17258645
- Airframe hours
- 8,433
- Engine
- Lycoming 0-320 SERIES, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 3, 2010
- Departed
- MQI · Manteo, NC
- Destination
- W95 · Ocracoke, NC
- Airport
- W95 · Ocracoke Island, runway 06, 2,999 × 60 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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 58
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 184 total · 184 in this make and model · 3 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 149° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,100 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.39 inHg
- Observed at
- HSE, 19 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 2, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 716 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.