# NTSB ERA11CA254: Flight Design Ctls, N178CT, Jacksonville, FL, April 14, 2011 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: April 14, 2011, 08:30 local (12:30 UTC) - Place: Jacksonville, FL - Coordinates: 30.336389, -81.514442 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.3364&lon=-81.5144&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 22, 2011 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 78934 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA11CA254 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/78934/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=78934 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11CA254 ## Probable cause The student pilot's improper flare, which resulted in a hard landing. ## 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: [Flight Design CTLS, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=060005B), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md) - [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Flight Design CTLS, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md?model=060005B), [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/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: [Flight Design CTLS, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=060005B), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the student pilot, he was performing his second solo flight in the traffic pattern. During the flare on the first landing, the airplane porpoised on the runway, resulting in the nose wheel impacting the runway three times, oscillating harder each time. After the first landing, an air traffic controller contacted the flight school to inform them of the porpoised landing. The student pilot completed three more landings, taxied back to the ramp, and exited the airplane. The first assessment of the airplane revealed no obvious damage, and it was flown two more times before another examination of the airplane by the operator revealed substantial damage to the firewall. According to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, there were no preexisting mechanical anomalies with the airplane. ## Factual narrative According to the student pilot, he was performing his second solo flight in the pattern. During the flare on the first landing, the airplane porpoised on the runway, resulting in the nose wheel impacting the runway three times, oscillating harder each time. After the first landing, an air traffic controller contacted the flight school to inform them of the porpoised landing. The student pilot completed three more landings, taxied back to the ramp, and exited the airplane. The first assessment of the airplane revealed no obvious damage, and it was flown two more times before another examination of the airplane by the operator revealed substantial damage to the firewall. According to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, there were no preexisting mechanical anomalies with the airplane. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N178CT](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N178CT), registered now, S/N F-08-07-04, built 2008 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: FLIGHT DESIGN GMBH CTLS - Registry model: [Flight Design CTLS](https://openairdocs.org/model/flight-design-ctls) (registry code 060005B) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rotax 912ULS series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912uls-series) (registry code 55572, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: F-08-07-04 - Airframe hours: 881 - Engines: ROTAX 912ULS 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: North Florida Flight Training, Inc. - Registered owner: Glenhurst Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Special light-sport (Special) - Last inspection: 100 hour, August 25, 2010 - Departed: CRG, Jacksonville, FL - Destination: CRG, Jacksonville, FL - Airport: CRG, Craig Municipal Airport, runway 32, 4,008 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 46; injuries: none; student; medical: sport pilot, unknown; seat: left; flight hours: 21 total, 21 in this make and model, 1 as pilot in command, 19 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 7 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 55 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 30.04 inHg - Observed at: CRG ## 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 20110414006289A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110414006289A), Apr 14, 2011: Flight Design Gmbh CTLS, Jacksonville, FL, Substantial damage. The student pilot on landing landed on nose wheel and porpoised the aircraft several times. The CFI saw the landing and did not stop the student. The CFI then… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 27, 2011, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=78934. 425 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 319 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40347446&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Student Pilot Statement (item 2, .PDF, 15 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40347447&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Student%20Pilot%20Statement-Redacted.PDF - Record of Conversation - FAA (item 3, .PDF, 63 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40347480&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20FAA-Master.PDF - CRG Weather Observations (item 4, .PDF, 27 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40347448&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=CRG%20Weather%20Observations-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.