# NTSB GAA16CA059: Cessna 172R, N26499, Westminster, MD, November 16, 2015 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: November 16, 2015, 11:30 local (16:30 UTC) - Place: Westminster, MD - Coordinates: 39.608333, -77.007499 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.6083&lon=-77.0075&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: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 14, 2016 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents - Parties: FAA Baltimore FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 92364 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA16CA059 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/92364/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=92364 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16CA059 ## Probable cause The student pilot's failure to maintain pitch control during the landing, which resulted in a hard landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [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) - [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) ## 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 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) ## Analysis The flight instructor reported that during landing, the student pilot landed the airplane on its main landing gear, the airplane bounced, and then landed flat on the main landing gear and nose wheel at the same time. At the end of the instructional lesson, the airplane landed at the flight school without further incident. A hard landing was reported to the maintenance department and a postflight inspection revealed substantial damage to the firewall. The flight instructor reported there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative The flight instructor reported that during landing, the student pilot landed the airplane on its main landing gear, the airplane bounced, and then landed flat on the main landing gear and nose wheel at the same time. At the end of the instructional lesson, the airplane landed at the flight school without further incident. A hard landing was reported to the maintenance department and a postflight inspection revealed substantial damage to the firewall. The flight instructor reported there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N26499](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N26499), registered now, S/N 17280730, built 1999 (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: 17280730 - Year built: 1999 - Airframe hours: 5922.1 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360-LZA 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Empire Aviation and Leasing LLC, doing business as Frederick Flight Center - Registered owner: Pioneer Air LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, October 20, 2015 - Departed: DMW, Westminster, MD - Destination: DMW, Westminster, MD - Airport: DMW, Carroll County Rgnl/Jack B Poa, runway 34, 5,100 × 100 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Stall warning system, Auto-pilot ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 49; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, waiver time limited special; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 481 total, 269 in this make and model, 378 as pilot in command, 26 in the last 90 days, 19 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours - Student pilot; age 41; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 15 total, 15 in this make and model, 15 in the last 90 days, 12 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 330° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 36 °F - Altimeter: 30.29 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 20151116022339A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20151116022339A), Nov 16, 2015: Cessna 172R, Westminister, MD, Substantial damage. The pilot stated that he was on an instruction flight from fdk to dmw with a pre-solo student to practice landings and take offs. The student performed the… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 3, 2016, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=92364. 3.0 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 2.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40437231&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Accident Photo (item 2, .PDF, 481 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40437232&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Accident%20Photo-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.