# NTSB GAA15CA119: Cessna 172R, N984WU, Beaver Falls, PA, May 28, 2015

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: May 28, 2015, 15:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place: Beaver Falls, PA
- Coordinates: 40.772499, -80.391387 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.7725&lon=-80.3914&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 August 12, 2015
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration
- NTSB case key (mKey): 91352
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA15CA119
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/91352/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91352
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA15CA119

## Probable cause

The student pilot's failure to maintain airplane attitude control during the landing, resulting in a hard 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 172R, 75 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072401), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: pitch control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172R, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022/cases.md?model=2072401), [All aircraft, 526 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022/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 172R, 34 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=2072401), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090); cases with it: [Cessna 172R, 25 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=2072401), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The student pilot reported that upon the conclusion of his cross-country solo flight, the airplane landed hard and the nose wheel tire lost pressure. A post-accident inspection revealed substantial damage to the firewall. The student pilot reported that there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.

## Factual narrative

The student pilot reported that upon the conclusion of his cross-country solo flight, the airplane landed hard and the nose wheel tire lost pressure. A post-accident inspection revealed substantial damage to the firewall. The student pilot reported that there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N984WU](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N984WU), registered now, S/N 17280510, built 1998 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172R (R)
- Registry model: [Cessna 172R](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172r) (registry code 2072401) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 17280510
- Year built: 1998
- Airframe hours: 9224.1
- Engines: LYCOMING IO-360-L2A 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Moore Aviation Inc
- Registered owner: Moore Aviation Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, May 21, 2015, 608 hours before
- Departed: GKJ, MEADVILLE, PA
- Destination: BVI, BEAVER FALLS, PA
- Airport: BVI, Beaver County, runway 10, 4,501 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Auto-pilot

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Student pilot; age 20; injuries: none; student; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 36 total, 36 in this make and model, 4 as pilot in command, 25 in the last 90 days, 11 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 40° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 77 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter: 30.27 inHg
- Observed at: KBVI

## 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 20150528018949A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150528018949A), May 28, 2015: Cessna 172-R, Beaver Falls Pa, PA, Substantial damage. On 5/28/2015 at approximately 12:00 pm the solo student pilot landing at Meadville (kgkj) airport bounced the aircraft 2 times while landing on runway 25. The…

## Docket (4 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 10, 2015, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91352. 2.2 MB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 2.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40430566&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF
- Memorandum For Record (Student Pilot) (item 2, .PDF, 134 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40430567&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20For%20Record%20(Student%20Pilot)-Master.PDF
- Photo 1 - Firewall (Photo Courtesy of Flight School) (item 3, .PDF, 31 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40430568&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%20-%20Firewall%20(Photo%20Courtesy%20of%20Flight%20School)-Master.PDF
- Photo 2 - Firewall (Photo Courtesy of Flight School) (item 4, .PDF, 31 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40430569&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202%20-%20Firewall%20(Photo%20Courtesy%20of%20Flight%20School)-Master.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.

---
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.