- Date
- August 30, 2016, 12:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Winchester, VA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2462ECessna 172
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 5, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20160830025229A
- Case key
- 93935
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 student pilot's incorrect pitch control during the landing flare, which resulted in a porpoise, a loss of directional control, and a runway excursion.
Findings · 3
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
The solo student pilot reported that the airplane ballooned during the landing flare and touched down beyond the planned touchdown point. He further reported that the airplane porpoised and on the third bounce he felt a vibration. Subsequently, the airplane departed the runway to the left and stopped in grass next to the runway. The firewall sustained substantial damage. The student pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The solo student pilot reported that the airplane ballooned during the landing flare and touched down beyond the planned touchdown point. He further reported that the airplane porpoised and on the third bounce he felt a vibration. Subsequently, the airplane departed the runway to the left and stopped in grass next to the runway. The firewall sustained substantial damage. The student pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2462E
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (N)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17271291
- Built
- 1978
- Airframe hours
- 9,923.2
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-H2AD, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Aero-Smith, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Roadstar LLC.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 24, 2016
- Departed
- MRB · Martinsburg, WV
- Destination
- OKV · Winchester, VA
- Airport
- OKV · Winchester Rgnl, runway 14, 5,498 × 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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 42
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 66 total · 49 in this make and model · 3 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.15 inHg
- Observed at
- KOKV
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 1, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.7 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.