# NTSB ERA20CA078: Cessna 172, N882TC, Ormond Beach, FL, December 26, 2019 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: December 26, 2019, 10:35 local (15:35 UTC) - Place: Ormond Beach, FL - Coordinates: 29.301111, -81.113891 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.3011&lon=-81.1139&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 16, 2020 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 100822 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA20CA078 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/100822/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100822 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20CA078 ## 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. - [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 172S, 99 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md) - [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 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) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: 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 student pilot reported that, during his first solo flight and as the airplane approached to land, he flared too early. Instead of performing a go-around, the student pitched the airplane's nose down, which resulted in a hard landing on the nosewheel first. The airplane subsequently bounced, landed on the main wheels, and then stopped on the runway. The firewall and lower fuselage sustained substantial damage. The Federal Aviation Administration inspector who examined the airplane reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation and that the student did not report any. ## Factual narrative The student pilot reported that during his first solo flight, as the airplane approached to land, he flared too early, before reaching ground effect. Instead of performing a go-around, the student pilot then pitched the airplane nose down, which resulted in a hard landing on the nosewheel first. The airplane subsequently bounced and landed back on the main wheels before coming to a stop on the runway. After shutdown, the student and instructor noticed damage to the firewall and lower fuselage. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions, nor did the student pilot report any. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N882TC](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N882TC), registered now, S/N 172S9880, built 2005 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172 (S) - Registry model: [Cessna 172S](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s) (registry code 2072439) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-360-L2A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-l2a) (registry code 41597, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 172S9880 - Year built: 2005 - Airframe hours: 5419.8 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360-L2A 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Phoenix East Aviation LLC - Registered owner: Christiansen Aviation Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, December 9, 2019, 56 hours before - Departed: OMN, Ormond Beach, FL - Destination: OMN, Ormond Beach, FL - Airport: OMN, Ormond Beach Municipal Airport, runway 35, 3,704 × 100 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Stall warning system, ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 23; injuries: none; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 21 total, 21 in this make and model, 1 as pilot in command, 21 in the last 90 days, 17 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 10° at 5 knots - Visibility: 7 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 5,500 ft broken - Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 68 °F - Altimeter: 30.13 inHg - Observed at: OMN ## 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 20191226020599A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20191226020599A), Dec 26, 2019: Cessna 172S, Ormond Beach, FL, Substantial damage. As the student was performing his first solo flight at komn he began to pitch up/ flare too early causing the aircraft to float. The pilot corrected this by… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 7, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100822. 2.7 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 2.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40482039&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Interview Summary (item 2, .PDF, 52 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40482040&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Interview%20Summary-Master.PDF - Weather Report (item 3, .PDF, 67 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40482041&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Report-Master.PDF - Photo Array (item 4, .PDF, 354 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40482042&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%20Array-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.