# NTSB GAA16CA496: Cessna 172, N734AV, Delta, UT, August 30, 2016 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: August 30, 2016, 11:00 local (17:00 UTC) - Place: Delta, UT - Coordinates: 39.383609, -112.50222 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.3836&lon=-112.5022&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: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 10, 2017 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 94050 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA16CA496 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/94050/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=94050 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16CA496 ## Probable cause The student pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard, porpoised landing. ## 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 · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md) - [Wind: tailwind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on equipment; cases with it: [All aircraft, 594 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015/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: [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the student pilot, following the first leg of his solo cross-country flight, he entered the traffic pattern to land on runway 17 "because other traffic was using runway 17 even though winds were 050° at 3 knots." He reported that, as the airplane approached the runway, the airspeed was too high, and the airplane landed hard on the nosewheel and porpoised. He conceded, "I knew it was a hard landing, but did not hear the prop strike occur." The student pilot departed the airport and accomplished two approaches and a landing at a third airport before returning to his home airport where he accomplished two approaches, a landing, and then taxied to parking. The student pilot reported that he could have prevented the accident by performing a go-around when he realized that his approach speed was too high. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall. The student pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the engine or airframe that would have prevented normal operation. ## Factual narrative According to the student pilot, following the first leg of his solo cross-country flight, he entered the traffic pattern to land on runway 17; "because other traffic was using runway 17 even though winds were 050° at 3 knots". He reported that as the airplane approached the runway, the airspeed was too high, and the airplane landed hard on the nose wheel and porpoised. He conceded, "I knew it was a hard landing, but did not hear the prop strike occur." The student pilot departed the airport, and accomplished two approaches and a landing at a third airport, before returning to his home airport where he accomplished two approaches, a landing, and then taxied to parking. The student pilot reported that he could have prevented the accident by performing a go around when he realized that his approach speed was too high. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall. The student pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the engine or airframe prior to the landing that would have prevented normal flight operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: N734AV (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172 (N) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17268710 - Year built: 1977 - Airframe hours: 11227.7 - Engines: LYCOMING O-360-A4M 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Upper Limit Aviation, Inc. - Registered owner: Upper Limit Aviation, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 19, 2016 - Departed: DTA, Delta, UT - Destination: DTA, Delta, UT - Airport: DTA, Delta Muni, runway 17, 5,502 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Stall warning system, Electronic multifunction display ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 26; injuries: none; student; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 54.4 total, 37 in this make and model, 11.1 as pilot in command, 28.8 in the last 90 days, 25.5 in the last 30 days, 1.5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 50° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 55 °F, dew point 30 °F - Altimeter: 30.15 inHg - Observed at: KU24, 5 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 20160830015529A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160830015529A), Aug 30, 2016: Cessna 172N, Delta, UT, Substantial damage. Student pilot carried excessive speed during final approach, leading to porpoising during landing and an eventual hard landing. This caused a propeller strike… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 22, 2017, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=94050. 4.1 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 3.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40450177&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Photo (Courtesy of FAA) (item 2, .PDF, 1 photo, 196 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40450178&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%20(Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-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.