GAA18CA391

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 172 · Troy, MI · July 2, 2018

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
July 2, 2018, 07:20 local (11:20 UTC)
Place
Troy, MI
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N6508KCessna 172
Defining event
Landing: Hard landing
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Dawn
Status
Completed · report March 18, 2019
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
General Aviation Accidents
Parties
FAA
FAA report
20180702009039A
Case key
97675

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 failure to maintain a proper landing flare, which resulted in a hard, porpoised landing during an aborted go-around.

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.

Performance/control parameters: landing flareAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedCessna 172P: 38 casesAll aircraft: 1,285 casesProbable cause
Use of equip/info: aircraft controlPersonnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilotCessna 172P: 76 casesAll aircraft: 9,295 casesProbable cause

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 landing, the airplane slowed, and the stall warning sounded as the main landing gear contacted the runway. He added that it appeared that the airplane had landed, but he then observed the nose drop below the horizon. He added power to go around, but the nosewheel impacted the runway, and the airplane pitched "rearward." Subsequently, the airplane porpoised, the nose landing gear strut collapsed, and he aborted the go-around. The student taxied the airplane to park without further incident. The flight instructor reported that he witnessed that the airplane on approach was a little flat but did not appear to be unstable. The student then pitched the airplane for the numbers, the airplane floated down the runway, and it then touched down in a flat attitude. Subsequently, the airplane bounced 2 to 3 ft, porpoised, and the student was then able to taxi from the runway. The flight instructor added that the student was too late on the flare and that all of the energy came down on the nosewheel. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The student reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system at the airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 250° at 7 knots. The student pilot landed the airplane on runway 27.

Factual narrative

The solo student pilot reported that during landing, the airplane slowed, and the stall warning sounded as the main landing gear contacted the runway. He added that, it appeared that the airplane had landed, but he then observed the nose drop below the horizon. He added power to go around, but the nose wheel impacted the runway and the airplane pitched "rearward". Subsequently, the airplane porpoised, the nose landing gear strut collapsed, and he aborted the go around. The student taxied the airplane to park without further incident. The flight instructor reported that, he witnessed that the airplane on approach was a little flat but did not appear to be unstable. The student then pitched the airplane for the numbers, the airplane floated down the runway, and touched down in a flat attitude. Subsequently, the airplane bounced 2 to 3 ft in the air, porpoised, and the student was then able to taxi from the runway. The flight instructor added that, the student was too late on his flare and all of the energy came down on the nose wheel. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system at the accident airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 250° at 7 knots. The student pilot landed on runway 27.

Aircraft

Registration
N6508K
Reported as
Cessna 172 (P)
Category
Airplane
Serial number
17274205
Built
1980
Airframe hours
9,945
Engine
Lycoming O-320-A4M, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
Last inspection
Annual · May 30, 2018
Departed
VLL · Troy, MI
Destination
VLL · Troy, MI
Airport
VLL · Oakland/Troy, runway 27, 3,549 × 60 ft, asphalt
Equipment
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
60
Injuries
None
Certificate
Student
Medical
Class 3, With waivers/limitations
Seat
Left
Restraint
3-point
Flight hours
46.5 total · 40.5 in this make and model

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Dawn
Wind
250° at 7 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
79 °F, dew point 72 °F
Altimeter
29.97 inHg
Turbulence
Light
Observed at
KVLL

Docket · 4

The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 15, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.3 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.

Other investigations on N6508K · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.