# NTSB ERA17LA319: Cessna 172, N97116, Gulf Shores, AL, August 23, 2017 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 23, 2017, 16:30 local (21:30 UTC) - Place: Gulf Shores, AL - Coordinates: 30.24611, -87.700836 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.2461&lon=-87.7008&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 8, 2019 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 95990 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA17LA319 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/95990/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=95990 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA17LA319 ## Probable cause The 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 · 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 · Incorrect use/operation (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) - [Experience/qualifications: total experience w/ equipment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031025): Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge · Pilot; cases with it: [Cessna 172P, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031025/cases.md?model=2072436), [All aircraft, 269 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031025/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) ## Analysis The commercial helicopter pilot, who was enrolled in transition training for airplanes, stated that he made a normal approach to land the airplane, but when he pulled back on the control yoke, the nose of the airplane did not come up as expected. The airplane had a flat attitude, landed hard, and bounced four or five times, which resulted in damage to the firewall, the nosewheel, and both propeller blades. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the control yoke had minimal movement due to the upper yoke control tubes at the chain sprocket binding against the aluminum channel brace due to the bent firewall. The examination also found that the elevator trim tab cable had slack and was not rigged correctly, which was not due to the hard landing: when the trim tab wheel was moved, the cable's center travel block would catch on the aft tail cone bulkhead. However, subsequent examination of the airplane did not reveal any evidence of a preimpact elevator control problem, despite the rigging of the elevator trim tab cable. A student pilot who had flown the airplane before the accident flight had not reported any issues with landing the airplane. At the time of the accident, the pilot had accrued 29 hours of flight experience in single-engine airplanes. About 1 month after the accident, the pilot flew with a Federal Aviation Administration designated pilot examiner (DPE) and, according to the DPE, executed several landings that had a flat attitude versus a nose-high attitude. On one landing, the airplane bounced and then ballooned, which resulted in the DPE taking control of the airplane. The DPE later spoke with the pilot's flight instructor, who confirmed that the pilot tended to not properly flare on landing. Although the elevator trim tab cable was not rigged correctly, it did not impede the use of the elevator or the pilot's ability to properly flare the airplane for a safe landing. Thus, it is likely that the pilot did not flare properly, which resulted in a hard landing. ## Factual narrative On August 23, 2017, about 1630 central daylight time, a Cessna 172P, N97116, was substantially damaged during landing at the Jack Edwards Airport (JKA), Gulf Shores, Alabama. The commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. No flight plan was filed for the flight that departed the Pensacola International Airport (PNS), Pensacola, Florida, about 1600.The pilot stated that before he departed PNS, he noted that the elevator trim was in the full nose-up position. He reset it to the "takeoff" position and completed his before-takeoff checklist and engine run-up procedures. He said that during takeoff, he needed more back pressure on the control yoke than he was used to, so he trimmed the elevator trim tab up to reduce pressure. The flight to JKA was uneventful and he made a normal approach to runway 17. The pilot said that he reduced engine power to idle and began the landing flare. However, when he pulled back on the control yoke, the nose of the airplane did not come up as expected. The pilot described the attitude of the airplane as, "...much more flat with only slight nose up." The airplane "fell through" the last few feet above the runway, landed hard, and bounced four or five times before he could stop the airplane. He said he tried to taxi off onto a taxiway, but he was unable to steer the airplane. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) aviation maintenance inspector conducted a postaccident examination of the airplane. The examination revealed the firewall was wrinkled, the nose wheel was bent, and both propeller blades were damaged from contact with the ground. The control yoke had minimal movement due to the upper yoke control tubes at the chain sprocket binding against the aluminum channel brace due to the bent firewall. The inspector also noted that the elevator trim tab cable had slack and was not rigged correctly. When the trim tab wheel was moved, the cable's center travel block was catching on the aft tail cone bulkhead. An FAA airworthiness inspector performed a second examination of the airplane and determined that despite the rigging of the elevator trim cable, he could not find evidence of a preaccident elevator control problem. An FAA operations inspector spoke to the flight instructor of the pilot who flew the accident airplane prior to the accident flight. The student had not reported any issues with landing the airplane. About a month after the accident, the pilot flew with an FAA designated pilot examiner (DPE). According to the DPE, the pilot's landings were "very flat and never set up with a nose high attitude." On one landing, the airplane bounced and then ballooned resulting in the DPE taking control of the airplane. The DPE later spoke with the pilot's flight instructor, who told him that the pilot had a tendency to land flat. He described the pilot's landings as "on and off." The pilot helda commercial pilot certificate for rotorcraft with an instrument rating for rotorcraft-helicopter. He was enrolled in a Rotorcraft Transition Program, where he would earn his private pilot certificate for airplane single-engine land, then obtain a commercial pilot certificate for airplane multiengine land, and then attend a new-hire class for a commercial air carrier. His last FAA first class medical certificate was issued on June 30, 2017. The pilot reported he had accrued 29 hours of flight experience in single-engine airplanes. Weather reported at JKA, about the time of the accident, included calm wind, visibility 10 miles and clear skies. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N97116](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N97116), registered now, S/N 17276155 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172 (P) - 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: 17276155 - Year built: 1984 - Airframe hours: 5539.7 - Engines: LYCOMING O-320 SERIES 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, August 17, 2017 - Departed: PNS, Pensacola, FL - Destination: JKA, Gulf Shores, AL - Airport: JKA, Jack Edwards, runway 17, 3,596 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 38; injuries: none; commercial; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 818 total, 29 in this make and model, 567 as pilot in command, 60 in the last 90 days, 40 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: 77 °F, dew point 75 °F - Altimeter: 29.88 inHg - Observed at: JKA ## 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 20170823011299A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170823011299A), Aug 23, 2017: Cessna 172P, Gulf Shores, AL, Substantial damage. Airman stated that he made a normal approach to land on runway 17. When he began his flare to land, he felt that the nose was just not coming up to the correct… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 7, 2019, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=95990. 4.8 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 661 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40470076&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - FAA Record of Conversation - Pilot (item 2, .PDF, 298 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40470077&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20Pilot-Master.PDF - FAA Inspector Statement and Summary of Email (item 3, .PDF, 279 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40470078&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%20Statement%20and%20Summary%20of%20Email-Master.PDF - Photos (item 4, .PDF, 4 photos, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40470079&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photos-Master.PDF - Maintenance Records (item 5, .PDF, 2.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40470080&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Maintenance%20Records-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.