- Date
- April 29, 2018, 19:40 local (Apr 30, 2018, 02:40 UTC)
- Place
- Palo Alto, CA
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N254EKCessna 172
- Defining event
- Landing: Abnormal runway contact
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 24, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180429010699A
- Case key
- 97313
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 pilot’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 pilot reported that, during short final, he noticed "a sudden lack of wind," and the airplane began to descend. He added that the airplane landed hard and bounced multiple times. He taxied back to the parking ramp without further incident. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane rental company owner reported that the pilot did not notify any personnel of the hard, bounded landing. He added that, during a later flight, the airplane owner noticed a vibration and landed to examine the airplane. Postflight examination revealed propeller damage and substantial damage to the fuselage.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, during short final, he noticed "a sudden lack of wind" and the airplane began to descend. He added that the airplane landed hard and bounced multiple times. He taxied back to the parking ramp without further incident. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The owner of the airplane rental company reported that the pilot did not notify any personnel of the hard, bounded landing. He added that, during a later flight, the owner of the airplane noticed a vibration and landed to examine the airplane. Postflight examination revealed propeller damage and substantial damage to the fuselage.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N254EK
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (S)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172S11119
- Built
- 2011
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-L2A, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- PAO · Palo Alto, CA
- Destination
- PAO · Palo Alto, CA
- Airport
- PAO · Palo Alto, runway 31, 2,443 × 70 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Unknown
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
- Pilot
- Age
- 32
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 17, 2017
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 136 total · 136 in this make and model · 25 as pilot in command · 3 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Altimeter
- 30.06 inHg
- Observed at
- KPAO
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 28, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.9 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.