# NTSB ERA14CA273: Cessna 172S, N193ME, Harrisburg, PA, May 23, 2014 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: May 22, 2014, 21:15 local (May 23, 2014, 01:15 UTC) - Place: Harrisburg, PA - Coordinates: 40.217224, -76.851387 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.2172&lon=-76.8514&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: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 30, 2014 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - NTSB case key (mKey): 89332 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA14CA273 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/89332/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89332 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14CA273 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to compensate for wind conditions during landing, which resulted in a hard landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 66 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/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 172S, 206 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Wind: gusts](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Response/compensation (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 21 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 1,199 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/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 pilot stated that he was returning to his home airport at the conclusion of a local flight, and that he aborted the first landing attempt due to turbulence and wind gusts. Following a second approach for landing, the airplane encountered a "gust of wind" from the left during the landing flare. The airplane banked right, and the nose landing gear subsequently contacted the runway "hard." Postaccident inspection revealed that the propeller had struck the runway during landing, and further examination revealed substantial damage to the engine firewall. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative The pilot stated that he was returning to his home airport at the conclusion of a local flight, and that he aborted the first landing attempt due to turbulence and wind gusts. Following a second approach for landing, the airplane encountered a "gust of wind" from the left during the landing flare. The airplane banked right, and the nose landing gear subsequently contacted the runway "hard." Postaccident inspection revealed that the propeller had struck the runway during landing, and further examination revealed substantial damage to the engine firewall. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N193ME](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N193ME), registered now, S/N 172S8458, built 2000 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172S - Registry model: [Cessna 172S](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s) (registry code 2072439) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 172S8458 - Year built: 2000 - Airframe hours: 1608 - Engines: LYCOMING IO-360 SER 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Sky Blue Aviation LLC - Registered owner: Sky Blue Aviation LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, May 9, 2014 - Departed: P34, Mifflintown, PA - Destination: CXY, Harrisburg, PA - Airport: CXY, Capital City Airport, runway 8, 5,001 × 150 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 55; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review September 27, 2013; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 198 total, 180 in this make and model, 198 as pilot in command, 15 in the last 90 days, 9 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: variable at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 55 °F - Altimeter: 29.82 inHg - Observed at: CXY ## 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 20140522008379A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140522008379A), May 22, 2014: Cessna 172S, New Cumberland, PA, Substantial damage. During landing at cxy pilot experienced gusting crosswinds in excess of ATIS report. Performed 2 approaches to two different runways and upon his second… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 2, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89332. 1.5 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40413978&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Weather Reports – CXY METARs (item 2, .PDF, 53 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40413979&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Reports%20%E2%80%93%20CXY%20METARs-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.