# NTSB ERA12LA259: Cessna 172P, N99087, Brooksville, FL, March 24, 2012 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 24, 2012, 13:15 local (17:15 UTC) - Place: Brooksville, FL - Coordinates: 28.473611, -82.455558 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.4736&lon=-82.4556&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: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 5, 2012 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: Civil Air Patrol, FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 83258 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA12LA259 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/83258/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=83258 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12LA259 ## Probable cause The 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 172P, 38 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=2072436), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172P, 76 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072436), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/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 172P, 39 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=2072436), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis An airport ramp employee reported observing the airplane "porpoise" three times during the landing, followed by a tail strike, which he saw and heard. The pilot performed a go-around and remained in the traffic pattern for a full stop landing. The ramp employee observed the pilot and his passengers leave the airplane without performing an external inspection. During postaccident interviews, the pilot who was flying the airplane reported that he was performing a touch-and-go landing and bounced once during the initial touchdown. He stated that he did not land hard or experience a tail strike. The damage to the cabin floor, the engine firewall, and the tail strike bar was discovered later in the day by another pilot preparing to fly the airplane. ## Factual narrative On March 24, 2012, about 1315 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172P, N99087, was substantially damaged during a hard landing at Hernando County Airport (BKV), Brooksville, Florida. The commercial pilot and two passengers were not injured. The airplane was operated by the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, for the purpose of giving orientation flights to new cadets. The flight originated at Tampa Executive Airport (VDF), Tampa, Florida at 1245. Damage to the airplane was reported by a CAP pilot after it was discovered during a pre-flight inspection on the afternoon of March 24, 2012. CAP safety personnel initiated an internal investigation to determine who was flying the airplane when the damage occurred. Initially, no pilots that were contacted reported any abnormal activity or were aware of the damage. A ramp employee at BKV reported the following. He was driving a fuel truck on the ramp about 1315 on March 24, 2012 and observed the accident airplane on final approach for runway 21. Since he was also a pilot, he pulled over and stopped the truck to watch the airplane land. He observed the airplane "porpoise" three times and he saw and heard the tail strike the runway. The pilot then added full power and commenced a go-around. The ramp employee also watched the airplane taxi to the ramp after the flight. He stated that the pilot did not perform an exterior walk-around inspection to check for any damage. The ramp employee proceeded into the fixed base operator's office to report the event. An inspector with the Federal Aviation Administration obtained copies of flight log entries for the accident airplane. He then interviewed the pilot that was flying the airplane at the time reported by the ramp employee at BKV. The pilot reported that he was performing an approach to runway 21 for a touch-and-go landing. He recalled the winds from the southwest at 8 knots with gusts to 13 knots. During the landing, the airplane bounced at first, then settled back down to the runway. He executed a full power takeoff and remained in the traffic pattern for a full stop landing. He stated that he performed a post-flight inspection and noted no discrepancies. He flew the airplane back to VDF without further incident. The pilot reported that he did not land lard or experience a tail strike. The FAA inspector examined the airplane and noted buckling damage to the cabin floor, the engine firewall, and a bent tail strike bar. Weather, reported at BKV at 1253, included surface winds from 230 degrees at 12 knots with gusts to 18 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N99087](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N99087-2013-04-04), registration cancelled 2013-04-04, S/N 17276400, built 1985 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172P - Registry model: [Cessna 172P](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172p) (registry code 2072436) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17276400 - Airframe hours: 4553 - Engines: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Other work use, Part 91 - Operator: Civil Air Patrol Inc - Registered owner: Civil Air Patrol Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 1, 2012, 19 hours before - Departed: VDF, Tampa, FL - Destination: BKV, Brooksville, FL - Airport: BKV, Hernando County Airport, runway 21, 5,015 × 150 ft, concrete ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 70; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 355 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 230° at 12 knots, gusting 18 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 64 °F - Altimeter: 30.01 inHg - Observed at: BKV ## 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 20120324017339A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120324017339A), Mar 24, 2012: Cessna 172P, Tampa, FL, Substantial damage. On March 24, 2012, at approximately 1715Z, a Cessna 172P, N99087, serial no. 17276400 had a hard landing at the Brooksville / hernando county airport (kbkv),… ## Docket (8 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 10, 2012, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=83258. 12.1 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40376813&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - FAA Inspector Statement (item 2, .PDF, 1.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40376820&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%20Statement-Redacted.PDF - Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation (item 3, .PDF, 3.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40376880&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20Party%20Representatives%20to%20NTSB%20Investigation-Redacted.PDF - FAA Records of Telephone Call (5) (item 4, .PDF, 1.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40376905&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Records%20of%20Telephone%20Call%20(5)-Redacted.PDF - Pilot and Witness Statements (6) (item 5, .PDF, 655 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40376930&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%20and%20Witness%20Statements%20(6)-Redacted.PDF - Photo 1: Damage to Cabin Floor Area (FAA Digital Photo) (item 6, .PDF, 1.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40376935&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%3A%20Damage%20to%20Cabin%20Floor%20Area%20(FAA%20Digital%20Photo)-Master.PDF - Photo 2: Damage to Engine Firewall (FAA Digital Photo) (item 7, .PDF, 1.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40376936&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202%3A%20Damage%20to%20Engine%20Firewall%20(FAA%20Digital%20Photo)-Master.PDF - Photo 3: Damage to Tailstrike Bar (FAA Digital Photo) (item 8, .PDF, 888 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40376937&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%203%3A%20Damage%20to%20Tailstrike%20Bar%20(FAA%20Digital%20Photo)-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.