# NTSB ERA20CA165: Cessna 172, N957TC, New Symrna Beach, FL, March 30, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report - Date: March 30, 2020, 09:30 local (13:30 UTC) - Place: New Symrna Beach, FL - Coordinates: 29.055555, -80.94889 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.0556&lon=-80.9489&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: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 101221 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA20CA165 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/101221/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101221 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20CA165 ## Probable cause The flight instructor's delayed remedial action and decision to not go-around after a bounced landing, which resulted in an inadvertent stall and 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) - [Action: delayed action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 30 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 894 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 41 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/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. - [Approach-VFR pattern final: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 28 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 1,556 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md) - [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 flight instructor said he was not on the flight controls as the student pilot made a stable approach to the runway for a full stop landing. The student pilot initiated a flare over the runway but did not follow thru and the airplane bounced about 20-30 ft back into the air. The flight instructor took control of the airplane and tried to save the landing; however, the airplane stalled and landed hard resulting in substantial damage to the firewall and fuselage. The flight instructor said there were no mechanical issues with the airplane and the accident could have been prevented if he had executed a go-around. ## Factual narrative The flight instructor said he was not on the flight controls as the student pilot made a stable approach to the runway for a full stop landing. The student pilot initiated a flare over the runway but did not follow thru and the airplane bounced about 20-30 ft back into the air. The flight instructor took control of the airplane and tried to save the landing; however, the airplane stalled and landed hard resulting in substantial damage to the firewall and fuselage. The flight instructor said there were no mechanical issues with the airplane and the accident could have been prevented if he had executed a go-around. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N957TC](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N957TC-2021-05-06), registration cancelled 2021-05-06, S/N 172S9957, 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: 172S9957 - Year built: 2005 - Airframe hours: 10021.1 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360-L2A 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, March 12, 2020, 50 hours before - Departed: EVB, New Symrna Beach, FL - Destination: EVB, New Symrna Beach, FL - Airport: EVB, New Smyrna Beach Muni, runway 29, 4,319 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 21; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial, private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review January 24, 2020; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 229 total, 224 in this make and model, 188 as pilot in command, 57 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours - Student pilot; age 30; injuries: none; student; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 13 total, 13 in this make and model, 13 in the last 90 days, 13 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: 73 °F, dew point 68 °F - Altimeter: 30.17 inHg - Observed at: EVB ## 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 20200330003939A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200330003939A), Mar 30, 2020: Cessna 172S, New Smyrna, FL, Substantial damage. Instructor ^vowels^ was monitoring student pilot's attempt at landing on runway 29. First touchdown resulted in a bounce. Instructor's recovery actions were… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 9, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101221. 15.2 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1- CFI (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 3.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9658423&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_CFI_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 - operator (item 2, PDF, 9 pages, 4.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9657983&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_OPERATOR_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photos - provided by FAA (item 3, PDF, 12 pages, 12 photos, 7.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9658721&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photos%20(Provided%20by%20the%20FAA)-Rel.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.