- Date
- April 27, 2016, 15:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Durant, OK
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N35387Cessna 172
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 25, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20160427005129A
- Case key
- 93086
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot candidate's incorrect action performance by pulling the throttle off early and the subsequent failure to maintain the descent rate, resulting in a hard landing.
Findings · 4
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.
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
During a private pilot practical examination, the private pilot candidate was seated in the left front seat of the airplane at the controls, with the designated pilot examiner candidate seated in the right front seat. The examiner candidate was being evaluated by a designated pilot examiner seated in the left, second row seat behind the pilot candidate. According to the examiner candidate, the flight segments were met satisfactorily and the pilot candidate was asked to complete a crosswind landing. The examiner candidate reported that the pilot candidate struggled during the first approach and initiated a go-around. During the second approach, about 15 feet above the runway, the pilot candidate pulled the throttle off. According to the pilot examiner seated in the back, the examiner candidate reached for the throttle as the airplane landed firm. The examiner candidate completed the landing and informed the pilot candidate that the examination was unsatisfactory and taxied the airplane to the maintenance hangar. An examination of the airplane revealed that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall. The pilots reported that there were no mechanical failures or anomalies with the airplane prior to or during the flight that would have prevented normal flight operation.
Factual narrative
During a private pilot practical examination, the private pilot candidate was seated in the left front seat of the airplane at the controls, with the designated pilot examiner candidate seated in the right front seat. The examiner candidate was being evaluated by a designated pilot examiner seated in the left, second row seat behind the pilot candidate. According to the examiner candidate, the flight segments were met satisfactorily and the pilot candidate was asked to complete a crosswind landing. The examiner candidate reported that the pilot candidate struggled during the first approach and initiated a go-around. During the second approach, about 15 feet above the runway, the pilot candidate pulled the throttle off. According to the pilot examiner seated in the back, the examiner candidate reached for the throttle as the airplane landed firm. The examiner candidate completed the landing and informed the pilot candidate that the examination was unsatisfactory and taxied the airplane to the maintenance hangar. An examination of the airplane revealed that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall. The pilots reported that there were no mechanical failures or anomalies with the airplane prior to or during the flight that would have prevented normal flight operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N35387
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (R)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17281100
- Built
- 2002
- Airframe hours
- 5,711
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-L2A, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 22, 2016
- Departed
- DUA · Durant, OK
- Destination
- DUA · Durant, OK
- Airport
- DUA · Durant Rgnl - Eaker Field, runway 17, 5,001 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Stall warning system
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 · 3
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 18
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 27, 2016
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 58 total · 58 in this make and model · 15 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Check pilot
- Age
- 48
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 3, 2015
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 4,235 total · 506 in this make and model · 4,151 as pilot in command · 84 in the last 90 days · 23 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Check pilot
- Age
- 49
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight engineer
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 27, 2015
- Seat
- Rear
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 3,730 total · 1 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.70 inHg
- Observed at
- KDUA, 1 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 14, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.5 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.