- Date
- July 3, 2017, 08:30 local (13:30 UTC)
- Place
- Shreveport, LA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2173ZCessna 172
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 31, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA/ FSDO
- FAA report
- 20170703008829A
- Case key
- 95515
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’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
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 first approach to land, the airspeed was about 10 knots fast. He added that, during the flare, he attempted to correct the airspeed by "pitching back," but the airplane bounced hard and then porpoised on the runway. He further added that he initiated a go-around and subsequently completed a normal landing after two additional go-arounds. The right elevator, fuselage, and 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 first approach to land, the airspeed was about 10 kts. fast. He added that, during the flare he attempted to correct the airspeed by "pitching back," but the airplane bounced hard and then porpoised on the runway. He further added that, he initiated a go-around and subsequently completed a normal landing after two additional go-arounds. The right elevator, fuselage, and 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
- N2173Z
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (R)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17281216
- Built
- 2004
- Airframe hours
- 8,014.7
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-L2A, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Tubreaux Aviation Services LLC.
- Registered owner
- Tubreaux Aviation Services LLC.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 12, 2017
- Departed
- DTN · Shreveport, LA
- Destination
- DTN · Shreveport, LA
- Airport
- DTN · Shreveport Downtown, runway 23, 3,200 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Auto-pilot, ADS-B
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
- 41
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 34.9 total · 34.9 in this make and model · 1.1 as pilot in command · 5 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,800 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.11 inHg
- Observed at
- KDTN
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 11, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.5 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.