FTW98LA166

While practicing landings, the newly certificated private pilot encountered an increase in wind and a change of wind direction while in the pattern. He aborted his flight and conducted his final landing on the runway he had used for departure although the wind had shifted 180 degrees which created a tailwind of 30 knots. The aircraft porpoised during landing, and the second touchdown was hard causing substantial damage.

On March 31, 1998, at 1230 mountain standard time, a Cessna 172F, N7894U, sustained substantial damage during a hard landing at Fort Collins Downtown Airpark, Fort Collins, Colorado. The private pilot and sole occupant was not injured on this local, no flight plan, flight operating under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated at 1215.

According to the pilot, he received his private pilot certificate on March 24, 1998. He was intending to fly in the pattern to practice landings. After takeoff, with the winds light and variable, he got to pattern altitude, and found the winds were high and he decided to terminate the flight. After departing the pattern due to strong winds which he said made it impractical to align with the runway on his first attempt, he retlurned to the pattern and landed on runway 11 which was also his departure runway. According to witnesses, when the landing was being performed, the winds were from the northwest at about 30 knots. The nearest reporting station (approximately 10 miles to the south) was reporting winds from 200 degrees magnetic at 10 knots. In his statement and interview, the pilot acknowledged that he was aware of strong tail winds.

The pilot said his initial touch down was not hard but, due to the tail wind, the aircraft porpoised and the second touch down was "very hard. " He said he did not discern any damage and taxied to the ramp. The damage was discovered when the aircraft was examined after the flight.

As a result of this event, the propeller, lower firewall, nose landing gear bulkhead, lower forward fuselage skins, forward side skins, and forward floorboards had to be replaced.