# NTSB GAA17CA479: Cessna 172, N1129K, Santa Ana, CA, July 29, 2017 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: July 29, 2017, 10:30 local (17:30 UTC) - Place: Santa Ana, CA - Coordinates: 33.675556, -117.868331 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.6756&lon=-117.8683&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 - Status: Completed, report December 15, 2017 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents - Parties: FAA/ FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 95779 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA17CA479 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/95779/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=95779 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA479 ## Probable cause A hard landing and propeller strike for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 99 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Other (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 206 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/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: [Cessna 172S, 102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 77 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md) ## Analysis The Federal Aviation Administration aviation safety inspector reported that, during a preflight inspection, the student pilot and designated pilot examiner observed propeller damage. Further inspection by maintenance personnel revealed substantial damage to the firewall and fuselage consistent with a hard landing. The airplane was flown by numerous renter pilots before the damage was found, and none of them claimed responsibility for the damage. The time of the accident and the identification of the pilot(s) are unknown. ## Factual narrative The Federal Aviation Administration Aviation Safety Inspector reported that, during a preflight inspection, the student pilot and designated pilot examiner observed propeller damage during their preflight inspection. Subsequently, a further inspection by maintenance personnel revealed substantial damage to the firewall and fuselage. The airplane was flown by numerous renter pilots prior to the damage being found, and none of them claimed responsibility for the damage. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1129K](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1129K), registered now, S/N 172S10315, built 2006 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172 (S) - Registry model: [Cessna 172S](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s) (registry code 2072439) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-360-L2A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-l2a) (registry code 41597, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 172S10315 - Year built: 2006 - Airframe hours: 4500 - Engines: LYCOMING IO-360-L2A 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Orange County Flight Center - Registered owner: American Airplane Exchange - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 30, 2017 - Departed: NONE, Unknown - Destination: NONE, Unknown - Flight plan: Unknown - Equipment: Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, Auto-pilot, Stall warning system ## Weather - Conditions: Not reported - Icing: Unknown - Turbulence: Unknown ## 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 20170729016739A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170729016739A), Jul 29, 2017: Cessna 172S, Santa Ana, CA, Substantial damage. Damage was noticed by a pilot test applicant during the preflight portion of practical test. The damage presumably was caused by one of the renter pilot(s)… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 30, 2017, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=95779. 3.3 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 3.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40457452&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Memorandum for Record (FAA Inspector) (item 2, .PDF, 59 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40457468&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20(FAA%20Inspector)-Master.PDF - Accident Photos (item 3, .PDF, 181 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40457469&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Accident%20Photos-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.