# NTSB FTW98LA314: Cessna 172N, N172AT, Broomfield, CO, July 16, 1998

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: July 16, 1998, 08:00 local (14:00 UTC)
- Place: Broomfield, CO
- Coordinates: 39.9398, -105.059791 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.9398&lon=-105.0598&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report January 28, 2000
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 43168
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW98LA314
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/43168/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA314

## Probable cause

The pilot's improper landing flare which resulted in a hard landing.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown
  - flare - improper, pilot in command (cause)

## Analysis

While performing touch-and-go landings, the student pilot landed fast, long, and hard.  She performed a go around, followed by a full stop landing and parked the aircraft on the ramp.  Several hours later the FAA Air Traffic Manager for the airport noticed the aircraft on the ramp and noted substantial damage.

## Factual narrative

On July 16, 1998, at 0800 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N172AT, sustained substantial damage during a hard landing at Jefferson County Airport, Broomfield, Colorado.  The student pilot and sole occupant was not injured and no flight plan was filed for this local area student solo instructional flight operating under Title 14 CFR Part 91.  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed.

According to the student pilot, she was practicing touch-and-go landings and had to extend her pattern due to traffic and as a result, she had to add power to make the runway. The pilot's statement provided information that she landed fast, long, and hard and decided to go around.  She had some communications difficulties with the tower during the go around when her head set plug came loose, but she indicated in her statement that her final landing was "the best landing I ever made."

The pilot parked the aircraft on the ramp and several hours later, the damage was found by the Jefferson County Airport, FAA Air Traffic Manager.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N172AT](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N172AT), registered now, S/N 17272693, built 1979 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Cessna 172N
- 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: 17272693
- Airframe hours: 5223
- Engines: Lycoming O-320 160 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Uintacor, Inc., doing business as Mcair Aviation LLC
- Registered owner: Uintacor, Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, June 12, 1998, 18 hours before
- Departed: BJC
- Airport: BJC, Jefferson County, runway 29L, 7,000 × 75 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 38; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 107 total, 44 in this make and model, 7 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 300° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: BJC, 1 nm away

## 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 19980716016719A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980716016719A), Jul 16, 1998: Cessna 172N, Denver, CO, Substantial damage. (-23) The student extended the downwind for spacing, causing the final to be lower and faster then normal, resulting in a hard landing.

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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