- Date
- February 18, 2013, 13:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Valparaiso, FL
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N98598Cessna 172P
- Defining event
- Landing: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 18, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20130218003189A
- Case key
- 86306
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 failure to maintain control of the airplane while landing in gusting wind conditions.
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
Following a brief local flight, the pilot entered the traffic pattern at his home airport. While on final approach to the runway, the pilot noted a gusting crosswind and elected to approach the runway at an airspeed of 70 knots, instead of the typical 60 knots. The airplane touched down on the runway, ballooned to a height of about 10 feet, then bounced twice more before it settled onto the runway. The pilot taxied off the runway and shut down the engine. During the accident sequence, the airplane’s firewall was substantially damaged. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The reported wind at the airport about the time of the accident was a left quartering headwind at 15 knots, with gusts to 20 knots.
Factual narrative
Following a brief local flight, the pilot entered the traffic pattern at his home airport. While on final approach to the runway, the pilot noted the gusting crosswind and elected to approach the runway at an airspeed of 70 knots, instead of the typical 60 knots. The airplane touched down on the runway, ballooned to a height of approximately 10 feet, and then bounced twice more before it settled onto the runway. The pilot suspected that the nose landing gear tire had ruptured, taxied off the runway, and shutdown the engine. During the accident sequence, the airplane’s firewall was substantially damaged. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The wind reported at the airport about the time of the accident was from left quartering headwind at 15 knots, with gusts to 20 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N98598
- Reported as
- Cessna 172P
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17276320
- Airframe hours
- 5,291
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Eglin AFB Aero Club
- Registered owner
- United States Air Force
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · December 2, 2012
- Departed
- VPS · Valparaiso, FL
- Destination
- VPS · Valparaiso, FL
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- VPS · Eglin Air Force Base, runway 19, 10,012 × 300 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
- Pilot
- Age
- 55
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 13, 2012
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 338 total · 36 in this make and model · 289 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 15 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.29 inHg
- Observed at
- KVPS
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 10, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.6 MB 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.