- Date
- April 6, 2011, 12:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Bar Harbor, ME
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N46643Cessna 172K
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 3, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20110406009659A
- Case key
- 80727
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 landing flare while landing with a gusting wind, which resulted in a hard landing.
Findings · 3
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 the purpose of the flight was for his biennial flight review. During the approach to landing he used 20 degrees of flaps and side-slipped the airplane. However, while beginning the landing flare the airplane encountered a gust of wind and impacted the runway with all three landing gear. The pilot was able to taxi the airplane to the hangar, where he inspected the landing gear and noticed damage to the nose gear tire. According to the certified flight instructor the airplane landed relatively flat. Subsequent inspections revealed substantial damage to the lower left portion of the firewall. The wind about the time of the accident was from 300 degrees at 10 knots with gusts to 19 knots, and was variable in direction from 270 degrees to 340 degrees. Both pilots reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that the purpose of the flight was for his biennial flight review (BFR). During the approach to landing he utilized 20 degrees of flaps and side-slipped the airplane. However, while beginning the landing flare the airplane encountered a gust of wind and impacted the runway with all three landing gear. The pilot was able to taxi the airplane to the hangar, where he inspected the landing gear and noticed damage to the nose gear tire. According to the certificated flight instructor (CFI) the airplane landed "relatively flat." Subsequent inspections revealed substantial damage to the lower left portion of the firewall. The wind about the time of the accident was from 300 degrees at 10 knots with gusts to 19 knots, and was variable in direction from 270 degrees to 340 degrees. Both pilots reported that there was no preimpact mechanical malfunction.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N46643
- Reported as
- Cessna 172K
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17257406
- Airframe hours
- 3,535
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2D, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Porcupine Islands Flyers
- Registered owner
- Porcupine Islands Flyers
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 5, 2010
- Departed
- EPM · Eastport, ME
- Destination
- BHB · Bar Harbor, ME
- Airport
- BHB · Hancock County - Bar Harbor, runway 35, 3,253 × 75 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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 71
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 9, 2009
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,055 total · 900 in this make and model · 961 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 62
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 22, 2011
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 4,100 total · 130 in this make and model · 3,900 as pilot in command · 45 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 10 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 41 °F, dew point 19 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.71 inHg
- Observed at
- BHB
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 9, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 683 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.