- Date
- May 30, 2017, 12:19 local (19:19 UTC)
- Place
- El Cajon, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N483SPCessna 172
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 3, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA/ FSDO
- FAA report
- 20170530005099A
- Case key
- 95275
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 landing flare, which resulted in the airplane porpoising upon touchdown.
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.
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, during the second landing of the flight, the "nose wheel touched [the] ground first," and the airplane porpoised. He added that he applied power to abort the landing and subsequently completed a normal traffic pattern and landing. The firewall sustained substantial damage. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The solo student pilot reported that, during the second landing of the flight, the "nose wheel touched [the] ground first" and the airplane porpoised. He added that he applied power to abort the landing and subsequently completed a normal traffic pattern and landing. The firewall sustained substantial damage. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N483SP
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (S)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172S8029
- Built
- 1998
- Airframe hours
- 11,927.3
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-L2A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Scandinavian Aviation Academy Inc.
- Registered owner
- Scandinavian Aviation Academy Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · May 5, 2017
- Departed
- SEE · El Cajon, CA
- Destination
- SEE · El Cajon, CA
- Airport
- SEE · Gillespie Field, runway 27L, 2,738 × 60 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- None
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
- 21
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 38.7 total · 38.7 in this make and model · 1.2 as pilot in command · 35.5 in the last 90 days · 12.8 in the last 30 days · 1.2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,900 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.93 inHg
- Observed at
- KSEE
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 17, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.9 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.