# NTSB GAA15CA274: Cessna 172N, N909HC, Herington, KS, September 16, 2015 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: September 16, 2015, 14:00 local (19:00 UTC) - Place: Herington, KS - Coordinates: 38.697498, -96.808052 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.6975&lon=-96.8081&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 3, 2015 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents - Parties: FAA Wichita FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 92050 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA15CA274 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/92050/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=92050 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA15CA274 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain pitch control during the landing roll, which resulted in a porpoise. ## 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 · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 150 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072434), [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 172N, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022/cases.md?model=2072434), [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-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 26 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that during the landing roll, "all of a sudden the plane started ballooning up from a strong gust of wind, I lowered the nose of the airplane slightly as to avoid a stall." He reported that, "I was then forced back to the ground violently and once again ballooned up" and that the airplane, "ballooned up and was forced down 5 times." Once the porpoising ceased, the pilot taxied off the runway without further incident. A post flight inspection revealed substantial damage to the underside of the fuselage, the firewall, and the floor boards underneath the rudder pedals. The pilot reported there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative The pilot reported that during the landing roll, "all of a sudden the plane started ballooning up from a strong gust of wind, I lowered the nose of the airplane slightly as to avoid a stall." He reported that, "I was then forced back to the ground violently and once again ballooned up" and that the airplane, "ballooned up and was forced down 5 times." Once the porpoising ceased, the pilot taxied off the runway without further incident. A post flight inspection revealed substantial damage to the underside of the fuselage, the firewall, and the floor boards underneath the rudder pedals. The pilot reported there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N909HC](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N909HC-2018-04-16), registration cancelled 2018-04-16, S/N 17270803, built 1978 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172N (N) - 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: 17270803 - Year built: 1978 - Airframe hours: 16116.4 - Engines: LYCOMING O-320-H2AD 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Hesston College - Registered owner: Hesston College - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 31, 2015 - Departed: LWC, Lawrence, KS - Destination: HRU, Herington, KS - Airport: HRU, Herington Rgnl, runway 17, 4,184 × 75 ft, concrete - Equipment: Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 30; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review June 5, 2015; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 116 total, 86 in this make and model, 74 as pilot in command, 27 in the last 90 days, 20 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 190° at 19 knots, gusting 26 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 90 °F, dew point 66 °F - Altimeter: 29.87 inHg - Observed at: KFRI, 21 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 20150916015889A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150916015889A), Sep 16, 2015: Cessna 172N, Herington, KS, Substantial damage. On Wednesday, September 16, 2015, at 1800 UTC (1300 local), a Cessna CE-172-N, owned and operated by a 14 CFR part 141 pilot school operating out of the newton… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 30, 2015, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=92050. 3.1 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 2.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40433342&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Accident Photos (item 2, .PDF, 310 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40433343&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Accident%20Photos%20-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.