# NTSB ERA12CA569: Cessna 172S, N2409E, Farmingdale, NY, September 1, 2012

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: September 1, 2012, 11:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place: Farmingdale, NY
- Coordinates: 40.72861, -73.413612 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.7286&lon=-73.4136&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 December 11, 2012
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 85088
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA12CA569
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/85088/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=85088
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12CA569

## Probable cause

The student pilot's improper landing 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: [Cessna 172S, 99 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=2072439), [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: [Cessna 172S, 32 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md?model=2072439), [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: [Cessna 172S, 102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The student pilot was landing at the destination airport at the conclusion of a solo cross-country flight. He stated that he flared the airplane too high, resulting in a hard landing and propeller strike. A postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to the engine firewall and buckling of the lower fuselage. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

## Factual narrative

The student pilot was landing at the destination airport at the conclusion of a solo cross-country flight. He stated that he flared the airplane too high, resulting in a hard landing and propeller strike. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector, who examined the airplane after the accident, observed substantial damage to the engine firewall and buckling of the lower fuselage. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N2409E](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2409E), registered now, S/N 172S10552, built 2007 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172S
- Registry model: [Cessna 172S](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s) (registry code 2072439) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-360-L2A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-l2a) (registry code 41597, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 172S10552
- Airframe hours: 2792
- Engines: LYCOMING IO-360-L2A 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Academy of Aviation
- Registered owner: Nutac Leasing LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: BDR, Bridgeport, CT
- Destination: FRG, Farmingdale, NY
- Flight plan: VFR
- Airport: FRG, Republic Airport, runway 32, 6,833 × 150 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Student pilot; age 51; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 55 total, 55 in this make and model, 6 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: variable at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: FRG

## 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 20120901028879A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120901028879A), Sep 1, 2012: Cessna 172S, Farmingdale, NY, Substantial damage. Pilot statement: I had a solo cross country flight: Farmingdale / groton / bridgeport / Farmingdale. The accident happened during final landing at Farmingdale…

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 16, 2012, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=85088. 4.4 MB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 2.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40378136&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF
- FAA Inspector Statement (item 2, .PDF, 46 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40378527&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%20Statement-Redacted.PDF
- Photo 1 - Engine Firewall Damage (Courtesy of FAA) (item 3, .PDF, 1.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40378528&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%20-%20Engine%20Firewall%20Damage%20(Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-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.