- Date
- May 25, 2015, 18:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place
- Mitchellville, MD
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N6155KCessna 172P
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 9, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20150525008789A
- Case key
- 91241
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 improper landing flare, which resulted in a bounced landing and damage to the airplane.
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
According to the pilot, the airplane entered the downwind leg for runway 18, and he elected to use 20 degrees of flaps and a "slightly higher airspeed" due to wind gusts. While on final approach, he maintained an airspeed of 65 knots; however, the airplane floated, which prompted the pilot to perform a go-around maneuver beginning about halfway down the length of the runway. During the pilot's subsequent landing attempt, the airplane floated again; this time he lowered the nose. The airplane touched down on the main landing gear and subsequently bounced several times before coming to a stop. The pilot then taxied the airplane to the side of the runway and into the grass and secured the engine. One witness reported that the airplane, while on final approach, was "high and fast" with a nose-down attitude and landed flat. Another witness reported that the airplane landed in a nose-down attitude and bounced 4 or 5 times on the runway before coming to rest. All witnesses reported that the airplane "porpoised" after landing. Photographic evidence revealed substantial damage to the engine firewall. According to the pilot, there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or abnormalities that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6155K
- Reported as
- Cessna 172P
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17274170
- Built
- 1980
- Airframe hours
- 11,922.1
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-D2J, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Freeway Airport Inc
- Registered owner
- Freeway Airport Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 14, 2015 · 12 hours before
- Departed
- N89 · Ellenville, NY
- Destination
- W00 · Mitchellville, MD
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- W00 · Freeway, runway 18, 2,420 × 40 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
- 53
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 30, 2014
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 84 total · 84 in this make and model · 34 as pilot in command · 14 in the last 90 days · 14 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.19 inHg
- Observed at
- KCGS, 7 nm away
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 1, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 5.5 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.
Other investigations on N6155K · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.