# NTSB ERA15CA153: Cessna 172P, N65645, Newport, RI, March 8, 2015 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: March 8, 2015, 11:30 local (16:30 UTC) - Place: Newport, RI - Coordinates: 41.532501, -71.281669 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.5325&lon=-71.2817&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 August 11, 2015 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - NTSB case key (mKey): 90854 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA15CA153 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/90854/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=90854 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA15CA153 ## Probable cause The student pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during landing, and his subsequent failure to recover from a bounced landing, 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 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) - [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) ## 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) - [Landing: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230); cases with it: [Cessna 172P, 37 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=2072436), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna 172P, 45 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2072436), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The student pilot was conducting a solo flight and landing on a 2,999-foot-long, 75-foot-wide, asphalt runway. During touchdown, the airplane began to bounce, and subsequently landed hard, which resulted in substantial damage to the nose landing gear and firewall. The airplane veered to the left and contacted a snowbank that extended parallel to the runway. The student pilot reported that he did not experience any preaccident malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. He further reported 43 hours of total flight experience, all in the same make model as the accident airplane, which included 7 hours logged as pilot-in-command. ## Factual narrative The student pilot was conducting a solo flight and landing on a 2,999-foot-long, 75-foot-wide, asphalt runway. During touchdown, the airplane began to bounce, and subsequently landed hard, which resulted in substantial damage to the nose landing gear and firewall. The airplane veered to the left and contacted a snowbank that extended parallel to the runway. The student pilot reported that he did not experience any preaccident malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. He further reported 43 hours of total flight experience, all in the same make model as the accident airplane, which included 7 hours logged as pilot-in-command. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N65645](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N65645), registered now, S/N 17275797, built 1982 (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: 17275797 - Year built: 1982 - Airframe hours: 13390 - Engines: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Interstate Aviation Inc - Registered owner: Interstate Aviation Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, December 24, 2014, 28 hours before - Departed: 4B8, PLAINVILLE, CT - Destination: UUU, Newport, RI - Airport: UUU, Newport State, runway 22, 2,999 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 33; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review February 28, 2015; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 43 total, 43 in this make and model, 7 as pilot in command, 12 in the last 90 days, 7 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 220° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 39 °F, dew point 28 °F - Altimeter: 29.97 inHg - Icing: Unknown - Turbulence: Unknown - Observed at: UUU ## 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 20150308002509A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150308002509A), Mar 8, 2015: Cessna 172P, Newport, RI, Destroyed. 40 Hour student pilot on cross country flight ballooned three times on touchdown last one impacted the runway hard, causing the nosewheel to snap off and the… ## Other investigations on N65645 (2) 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. - [NTSB ERA20LA299](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20LA299), Aug 27, 2020: Cessna 172 (N65645), Weston, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: A total loss of engine power due to the failure of the Nos. 1 and 3 connecting rods from lack of lubrication. - [NTSB GAA16CA360](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16CA360), Jul 2, 2016: Cessna 172 (N65645), Pembroke Pines, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing flare, which resulted in a runway excursion, and impact with a sign. ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 27, 2015, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=90854. 3.2 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=40429779&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Photograph 1 – Post-Accident View of the Airplane (Courtesy of the FAA) (item 2, .PDF, 1.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40429782&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photograph%201%20%E2%80%93%20Post-Accident%20View%20of%20the%20Airplane%20(Courtesy%20of%20the%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.