# NTSB ERA24LA319: Cessna 172, N92970, Elizabeth City, NC, June 16, 2024

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: June 16, 2024, 12:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place: Elizabeth City, NC
- Coordinates: 36.260576, -76.174567 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.2606&lon=-76.1746&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): 194751
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA24LA319
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/194751/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194751
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA319

## Probable cause

The pilot’s improper flare and subsequent 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 · 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-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 77 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that when attempting to land she entered ground effect and flared too early. The airplane began to float, then touched down hard and bounced. The pilot subsequently overcorrected and struck the tail before the airplane bounced again landing hard on the nose landing gear. After the second bounce the pilot aborted the landing and returned for a subsequent uneventful landing. Examination of the airplane following the accident revealed that the airplane’s fuselage was substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N92970](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N92970), registered now, S/N 172S11124, built 2011 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172 (SP)
- 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: 172S11124
- Year built: 2011
- Airframe hours: 5065.6
- Engines: LYCOMING IO-360-L2A 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Elizabeth City State University
- Registered owner: Elizabeth City State University
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, May 21, 2024
- Destination: Same as departure
- Airport: ECG, Elizabeth City Cg Air Station/Rgnl, runway 28, 7,219 × 150 ft, concrete
- Equipment: Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Stall warning system, Onboard weather

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 18; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review April 22, 2024; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 118 total, 118 in this make and model, 83 as pilot in command, 71 in the last 90 days, 15 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 120° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter: 30.22 inHg
- Observed at: ECG
- METAR: METAR KECG 161554Z 12009KT 10SM CLR 28/14 A3022 RMK AO2 SLP234      T02830139

## 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 20240616007399A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240616007399A), Jun 16, 2024: Cessna 172S, Elizabeth City, NC, Substantial damage. Pilot reperted on June 16th, around noon, aproaching at Elizabeth City during transition to ground effect and floaded too early. Taht cause the airplane to…

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 4, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194751. 2.5 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=17424097&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120.1%20Filled%20out_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Memorandum for record a�� pilot statement (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 67 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17422124&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20Pilot%20Statement-Rel.pdf
- Investigative photographs (item 3, PDF, 5 pages, 357 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17422501&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA24LA319%20Photo%20Array%20-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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