# NTSB FTW98LA348: Cessna 172N, N118FP, Broomfield, CO, August 7, 1998 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 7, 1998, 14:07 local (20:07 UTC) - Place: Broomfield, CO - Coordinates: 39.889076, -105.109695 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.8891&lon=-105.1097&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 15, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 43669 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW98LA348 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/43669/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA348 ## Probable cause The pilot's improper remedial action after making a hard landing and porpoising. A factor was his lack of total experience. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - porpoise/pilot-induced oscillation - encountered, pilot in command - remedial action - improper, pilot in command (cause) - lack of experience, pilot in command (contributing factor) ## Analysis The recently certificated private pilot of 10 days was cleared to land on runway 11R. The wind was from 360 degrees at 5 knots. He used 20 degrees of flaps and an approach speed of 70 knots. The airplane landed hard and began to porpoise. The pilot said he 'could not keep the airplane on the ground so [he] applied forward pressure, this time hitting the nose gear.' ## Factual narrative On August 7, 1998, at 1407 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N118FP, operated by Wings of Denver and doing business as Airwest, Inc., was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain while landing at Broomfield, Colorado. The private pilot and two passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight operated under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated at Greeley, Colorado, approximately 1245. According to the pilot's accident report, he was cleared to land on runway 11R. He used 20 degrees of flaps and an approach speed of 70 knots. The pilot wrote: "As I began to flare, I experienced a slight sinking more so than usual, possibly caused by wind so I applied more back pressure and when the sinking was at an acceptable rate right before touchdown, I let the nose back down again since things suddenly seemed to stabilize during my flare. As I let the nose down, the aircraft lightly came up again so I tried to put it down again thinking that my airspeed was to close to stall speed for a go around. I touched down hard I believe on the rear wheels and then could not keep the airplane on the ground so I applied forward pressure this time hitting the nose gear. An unusual sensation of an uncontrolled oscillation began to occur as sort of 'porpoising effect' but I finally managed to make a controlled landing." According to the Jeffco METAR, the wind was from 360 degrees at 5 knots. The nose landing gear was bent aft, the firewall was buckled, the engine mounts were bent, and the lower cowling and fuselage skin were wrinkled. The pilot was able to taxi the airplane to the ramp. The recently certificated private pilot received his license just 10 days before the accident. ## Aircraft - Registration: N118FP (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172N - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17271267 - Airframe hours: 4340 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-A2AD 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Wings Of Denver, doing business as Airwest, Inc. - Registered owner: Mark L. Robinson - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, July 11, 1998, 31 hours before - Departed: GXY, GREELEY, CO - Destination: BJC - Airport: BJC, Jeffco, runway 11R, 7,000 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 20; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 56 total, 5 in this make and model, 17 as pilot in command, 20 in the last 90 days, 9 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 360° at 5 knots - Visibility: 20 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: BJC ## 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 19980807037199A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980807037199A), Aug 7, 1998: Cessna 172N, Denver, CO, Substantial damage. (-23) On August 7, 1998, a Cessna 172N, operated by airwest flying club, was substantially damaged while attempting to land at Jeffco Airport (bjc). Weather… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.