# NTSB ERA14CA121: Cessna 172R, N828BM, Fort Pierce, FL, February 3, 2014 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: February 3, 2014, 09:53 local (14:53 UTC) - Place: Fort Pierce, FL - Coordinates: 27.50089, -80.360939 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.5009&lon=-80.3609&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 April 23, 2014 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - NTSB case key (mKey): 88801 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA14CA121 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/88801/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=88801 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14CA121 ## 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. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172R, 75 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072401), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Incorrect use/operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172R, 37 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=2072401), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: identification/recognition](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Maintenance personnel; cases with it: [Cessna 172R, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510/cases.md?model=2072401), [All aircraft, 559 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510/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 172R, 34 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=2072401), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the student pilot, this was his first solo flight and he was conducting touch-and-go landings and takeoffs. On the third landing, he flared the airplane high; it landed hard and bounced back into the air. He then pitched the nose of the airplane up and the tail section struck the runway prior to landing. The student pilot taxied the airplane off of the active runway and brought it to a full stop. A visual examination revealed minor damage to the exterior of the airplane. The student pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane was examined by maintenance personnel for further damage and released back into service. The airplane was used during another flight, and flight controls were noted as difficult to manipulate. The airplane was returned for further examination and during the second examination, substantial damage was noted to the firewall from the first event. ## Factual narrative According to the student pilot, this was his first solo flight and he was conducting touch-and-go landings and takeoffs. On the third landing, he flared the airplane high; it landed hard and bounced back into the air. He then pitched the nose of the airplane up and the tail section struck the runway prior to landing. The student pilot taxied the airplane off of the active runway and brought it to a full stop. A visual examination revealed minor damage to the exterior of the airplane. The student pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane was examined by maintenance personnel for further damage and released back into service. The airplane was used during another flight, and flight controls were noted as difficult to manipulate. The airplane was returned for further examination and during the second examination, substantial damage was noted to the firewall from the first event. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N828BM](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N828BM), registered now, S/N 17280134, built 1997 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172R - Registry model: [Cessna 172R](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172r) (registry code 2072401) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17280134 - Year built: 1997 - Airframe hours: 1715 - Engines: LYCOMING I0360 SER 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Christiansen Aviation Inc - Registered owner: Christiansen Aviation Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, January 20, 2014, 20 hours before - Departed: FPR, Fort Pierce, FL - Destination: FPR, Fort Pierce, FL - Airport: FPR, St Lucie County International, runway 10, 6,492 × 150 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 20; injuries: none; student; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 29 total, 29 in this make and model, 1 as pilot in command, 29 in the last 90 days, 18 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 68 °F - Altimeter: 30.12 inHg - Observed at: FPR ## 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 20140203001789A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140203001789A), Feb 3, 2014: Cessna 172R, Fort Pierce, FL, Substantial damage. This accident was originally labeled an incident. Post-maintenance inspection revealed firewall damage that had previously not been known. On February 3, 2014,… ## Docket (10 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 1, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=88801. 11.6 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 4.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40410853&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Record of Conversation (item 2, .PDF, 52 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40410854&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation-Master.PDF - Student Pilot Statement (item 3, .PDF, 327 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40410855&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Student%20Pilot%20Statement-Redacted.PDF - CFI Inspector's Statement (item 4, .PDF, 232 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40410864&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=CFI%20Inspector%27s%20Statement-Redacted.PDF - Safety Procedure Manual - Section 8 (item 5, .PDF, 1.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40410857&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Safety%20Procedure%20Manual%20-%20Section%208-Master.PDF - New Flight School Reporting Procedures (item 6, .PDF, 22 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40410858&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=New%20Flight%20School%20Reporting%20Procedures-Master.PDF - Photo 1. View of Buckled Firewall (photo courtesy of chief pilot) (item 7, .PDF, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40410860&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201.%20View%20of%20Buckled%20Firewall%20(photo%20courtesy%20of%20chief%20pilot)-Master.PDF - Photo 2. View of Close Up of Buckled Firewall With Nose Strut (photo courtesy of chief pilot) (item 8, .PDF, 1.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40410861&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202.%20View%20of%20Close%20Up%20of%20Buckled%20Firewall%20With%20Nose%20Strut%20(photo%20courtesy%20of%20chief%20pilot)-Master.PDF - Photo 3. View of Buckled Floor Pan (photo courtesy of chief pilot) (item 9, .PDF, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40410862&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%203.%20View%20of%20Buckled%20Floor%20Pan%20(photo%20courtesy%20of%20chief%20pilot)-Master.PDF - Photo 4. View of Buckled Flight Control Floor Tunnel (photo courtesy of chief pilot) (item 10, .PDF, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40410863&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%204.%20View%20of%20Buckled%20Flight%20Control%20Floor%20Tunnel%20(photo%20courtesy%20of%20chief%20pilot)-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.