# NTSB ERA20CA249: Cessna 172, N737WA, Pickens, SC, July 11, 2020

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report
- Date: July 11, 2020, 13:40 local (17:40 UTC)
- Place: Pickens, SC
- Coordinates: 34.810001, -82.702774 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.8100&lon=-82.7028&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 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): 101594
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA20CA249
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/101594/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101594
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20CA249

## Probable cause

The student pilot's improper landing flare and improper recovery 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 172N, 150 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 29 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/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 172N, 38 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=2072434), [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: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 26 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md)
- [Landing-aborted after touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 26 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 46 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The student pilot reported that while practicing touch and go landings, he “came in a little faster than normal” on the 7th landing. During touchdown, the airplane bounced several times, each bounce “harder/higher” than the previous. He attempted to perform a abort the landing but the nose landing gear struck the ground “hard” and the propeller struck the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the forward fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N737WA](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N737WA), registered now, S/N 17269722, built 1977 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Cessna 172 (N)
- Registry model: [Cessna 172N](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n) (registry code 2072434) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 17269722
- Year built: 1977
- Airframe hours: 8520
- Engines: Lycoming O-320-H2AD 160 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, June 26, 2020
- Departed: GMU, Greenville, SC
- Destination: LQK, Pickens, SC
- Airport: LQK, Pickens County, runway 23, 5,002 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Stall warning system, ADS-B, Electronic primary flight display, Onboard weather

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 22; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 18 total, 18 in this make and model, 2 as pilot in command, 18 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observed at: LQK

## 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 20200711011549A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200711011549A), Jul 11, 2020: Cessna 172N, Liberty, SC, Substantial damage. The student pilot of N737WA was performing touch and go's at (lqk) Pickens County Airport, SC. During his seventh touch and go, the aircraft started bouncing…

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 5, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101594. 6.2 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 4.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9997402&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=01-01%206120%20ERA20CA249_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Memorandum for record - conversation with FAA inspector and pilot statement (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 176 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9999092&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=01-03%20MFR%20FAA%20Inspector_and_Pilot_statement_ERA20CA249-Rel.pdf
- Investigative photographs (item 3, PDF, 3 pages, 3 photos, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9997749&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=06-01-%20photo%20array_20CA249-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.

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