# NTSB ERA21LA128: Cessna 172, N841SP, Orange, VA, February 8, 2021

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: February 8, 2021, 11:15 local (16:15 UTC)
- Place: Orange, VA
- Coordinates: 38.247194, -78.045611
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.2472&lon=-78.0456&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: 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): 102621
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA21LA128
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/102621/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102621
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA128

## Probable cause

The student pilot’s improper recovery from a bounced 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 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)
- [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)

## 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 solo student pilot reported that during landing while on a cross country flight, the airplane was high and fast on final approach. The approach was continued and after the first touchdown the airplane “ballooned back up only to porpoise.” After the multiple touchdowns, the student pilot was able to stop the airplane near the midpoint of the runway, where the airplane was shut down and towed to the ramp. Examination of the airplane revealed that the bounced landing resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N841SP](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N841SP), registered now, S/N 172S8746, built 2001 (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 I0360 SER A&C](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-ser-a-c) (registry code 41511, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 172S8746
- Year built: 2001
- Airframe hours: 4962
- Engines: LYCOMING IO-360-L2A 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Randolph Macon Academy
- Registered owner: Randolph Macon Academy
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, December 8, 2020
- Departed: FVX, Farmville, VA
- Destination: Same as departure
- Flight plan: VFR
- Airport: OMH, Orange County, runway 08/26, 3,200 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Stall warning system, ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Onboard weather, Satellite tracking device

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Student pilot; age 22; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 68 total, 61 in this make and model, 7 as pilot in command, 34 in the last 90 days, 19 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: 32 °F, dew point 12 °F
- Altimeter: 30.45 inHg
- Observed at: KOMH
- METAR: METAR KOMH 081615Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 00/M11 A3045 RMK AO2=

## 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 20210208000719A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210208000719A), Feb 8, 2021: Cessna 172S, Orange, VA, Substantial damage. During a solo cross country flight, the student pilot arrived at Orange County Airport to conduct a normal landing on runway 08. In the traffic pattern, during…

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 15, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102621. 5.5 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12406154&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%206120.1%20Form%20-%20Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photo array (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 3 photos, 3.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12406435&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-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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