# NTSB GAA15CA142: Cessna 182P, N1248S, Westminster, MD, June 13, 2015

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: June 13, 2015, 11:15 local (15:15 UTC)
- Place: Westminster, MD
- Coordinates: 39.608612, -77.008056 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.6086&lon=-77.0081&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 3 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report July 29, 2015
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents
- Parties: Baltimore FSDO (FAA)
- NTSB case key (mKey): 91452
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA15CA142
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/91452/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91452
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA15CA142

## Probable cause

The flight instructor's delayed remedial action during the landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing and porpoise.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Action: delayed action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 182P, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md?model=2075816), [All aircraft, 894 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot; cases with it: [Cessna 182P, 48 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2075816), [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; cases with it: [Cessna 182P, 14 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=2075816), [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: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 182P, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=2075816), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md)
- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090); cases with it: [Cessna 182P, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=2075816), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The flight instructor and student pilot were conducting practice takeoffs and landings while remaining in the airport traffic pattern. During the third landing, with the student pilot at the flight controls, the nose wheel impacted the runway and the airplane porpoised. The flight instructor assumed control of the airplane, landed, and taxied off of the runway. After clearing the runway, the accident airplane received a transmission over the airport's common traffic advisory frequency that the propeller had impacted the runway during the porpoise. The flight instructor stated there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the fuselage and engine firewall.

## Factual narrative

The flight instructor and student pilot were conducting practice takeoffs and landings while remaining in the airport traffic pattern. During the third landing, with the student pilot at the flight controls, the nose wheel impacted the runway and the airplane porpoised. The flight instructor assumed control of the airplane, landed, and taxied off of the runway. After clearing the runway, the accident airplane received a transmission over the airport's common traffic advisory frequency that the propeller had impacted the runway during the porpoise. The flight instructor stated there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the fuselage and engine firewall.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N1248S](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1248S), registered now, S/N 18264817, built 1976 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 182P (NO SERIES)
- Registry model: [Cessna 182P](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182p) (registry code 2075816) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental O-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (registry code 17026, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 18264817
- Year built: 1976
- Airframe hours: 4455
- Engines: CONT-MOTOR O-470 S1B 250 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Cote Orphan LLC
- Registered owner: Cote Orphan LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, July 22, 2014
- Departed: DMW, WESTMINSTER, MD
- Destination: DMW, Westminster, MD
- Airport: DMW, Carroll County Rgnl/Jack B Poa, runway 34, 5,100 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Auto-pilot

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Student pilot; age 54; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 57 total, 54 in this make and model, 6 as pilot in command, 29 in the last 90 days, 13 in the last 30 days
- Flight instructor; age 58; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review May 8, 2015; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 4,610 total, 78 in this make and model, 4,472 as pilot in command, 54 in the last 90 days, 20 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 260° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observed at: KDMW

## 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 20150613009579A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150613009579A), Jun 13, 2015: Cessna 182P, Westminister, MD, Substantial damage. During the third landing the flight instructor reported that the approach was normal, but then the student did not flare. He said the airplane touched down…

## Docket (5 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 23, 2015, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91452. 13.2 MB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 12.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40429720&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF
- Record of Conversation (FAA Inspector) (item 2, .PDF, 68 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40429721&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20(FAA%20Inspector)-Master.PDF
- Record of Conversation (Flight Instructor) (item 3, .PDF, 68 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40429722&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20(Flight%20Instructor)-Master.PDF
- Record of Conversation (Student Pilot) (item 4, .PDF, 69 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40429723&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20(Student%20Pilot)-Master.PDF
- Photo 1 – Airplane Fuselage (Courtesy of FAA) (item 5, .PDF, 51 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40429724&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%20%E2%80%93%20Airplane%20Fuselage%20(Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-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.

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