GAA16CA048

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 172 · Mesa, AZ · November 7, 2015

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
November 7, 2015, 14:30 local (21:30 UTC)
Place
Mesa, AZ
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N1107GCessna 172
Defining event
Landing: Abnormal runway contact
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report April 5, 2016
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
General Aviation Accidents
Parties
FAA Scottsdale FSDO
FAA report
20151107022979A
Case key
92328

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain pitch control during landing, resulting in a porpoise, and firewall damage.

Findings · 2

NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.

Use of equip/info: aircraft controlPersonnel issues › Task performance · PilotCessna 172S: 206 casesAll aircraft: 9,295 casesProbable cause
Performance/control parameters: pitch controlAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedCessna 172S: 26 casesAll aircraft: 526 casesProbable cause

Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.

Analysis

A flight instructor, who witnessed the landing sequence, reported that upon touchdown, the airplane porpoised three times. He reported that the pilot aborted the landing, the airplane climbed to approximately 50 feet above ground level, and then the airplane landed on the remaining runway without further incident. The Federal Aviation Administration aviation safety inspector, who spoke with the pilot, stated that the pilot reported that the airplane was "not stable" during the approach and that he should have aborted the landing. The pilot also reported that the crosswind condition "complicated his final approach," which was "too high." The airplane landed hard, resulting in substantial damage to the firewall.

Factual narrative

A certificated flight instructor, who witnessed the landing sequence, reported that upon touchdown, the airplane porpoised three times. He reported that the pilot aborted the landing, the airplane climbed to approximately 50 feet above ground level, and then the airplane landed on the remaining runway without further incident. The Federal Aviation Administration aviation safety inspector, who spoke with the pilot, stated that the pilot reported that the airplane was "not stable" during the approach and that he should have aborted the landing. The pilot also reported that the crosswind condition "complicated his final approach," which was "too high." The airplane landed hard, resulting in substantial damage to the firewall. The pilot did not make a statement to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge during a telephone interview. The pilot did submit a NTSB Form 6120.1 Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report, but with no narrative of the accident. The pilot did not report any pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

Aircraft

Registration
N1107G
Reported as
Cessna 172 (S)
Category
Airplane
Serial number
172S10303
Built
2006
Airframe hours
2,837.3
Engine
Lycoming IO-360-L2A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
Falcon Executive Aviation Inc.
Registered owner
Falcon Executive Aviation Inc.
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
Last inspection
100 hour · October 2, 2015
Departed
FFZ · Mesa, AZ
Destination
FFZ · Mesa, AZ
Airport
FFZ · Falcon Fld, runway 04R, 5,101 × 100 ft, asphalt
Equipment
Stall warning system, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, Auto-pilot

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
68
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
Last flight review
November 6, 2015
Seat
Right
Restraint
3-point
Flight hours
398 total · 350 in this make and model · 2 in the last 90 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
10° at 8 knots
Visibility
40 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
75 °F, dew point 30 °F
Altimeter
29.97 inHg
Observed at
KFFZ, 1 nm away

Docket · 4

The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 10, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.7 MB in all.

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.