- Date
- May 3, 2011, 11:15 local (15:15 UTC)
- Place
- Stuart, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N88EPCessna 172P
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 12, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA Orlando FSDO
- FAA report
- 20110503008549A
- Case key
- 79048
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 landing flare, which resulted in a hard 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 student pilot stated that he did not flare the airplane properly, which resulted in the airplane touching down hard on the nose landing gear, and bouncing back into the air. He performed a go-around and landed successfully. Another pilot subsequently flew the airplane and returned it early due to a different sound in engine noise. Examination of the airplane by the other pilot revealed one propeller blade tip was bent. Further examination by company maintenance personnel revealed the engine firewall was buckled.
Factual narrative
The student pilot stated he did not flare the airplane properly, which resulted in a hard landing. The nose landing gear collided with the runway; he then made a go-around and landed uneventfully. Another pilot subsequently flew the airplane and returned it early due to a "different sound in engine noise." Examination of the airplane by the other pilot revealed one propeller blade tip was bent. Further examination by company maintenance personnel revealed the engine firewall was buckled.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N88EP
- Reported as
- Cessna 172P
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17276538
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 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
- Departed
- X14 · La Belle, FL
- Destination
- SUA · Stuart, FL
- Airport
- SUA · Witham Field Airport, runway 16, 5,000 × 100 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
- Student pilot
- Age
- 60
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 50 total · 50 in this make and model · 9 as pilot in command · 5 in the last 90 days · 14 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 100° at 14 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.18 inHg
- Observed at
- SUA
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 10, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 501 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 N88EP · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.