# NTSB GAA18CA425: Cessna 172, N12064, Batavia, OH, July 13, 2018

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: July 13, 2018, 15:40 local (19:40 UTC)
- Place: Batavia, OH
- Coordinates: 39.078887, -84.209724 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.0789&lon=-84.2097&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report March 18, 2019
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents
- Parties: FAA
- NTSB case key (mKey): 97804
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA18CA425
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/97804/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=97804
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA425

## Probable cause

The student pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing.

## 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 · Student/instructed pilot (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: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 28 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 1,556 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/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)
- [Landing: 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)

## Analysis

The solo student pilot reported that, during the landing flare, he pulled back on the controls too sharply and that the airplane then ballooned and landed hard. Unbeknownst to him, the propeller struck the runway, and he then went around the traffic pattern again. He landed and taxied the airplane back to the ramp without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall and lower fuselage. The student reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

## Factual narrative

The solo student pilot reported that, during the landing flare, he pulled back on the controls too sharply, the airplane ballooned, and landed hard. Unbeknownst to him, the propeller struck the runway and he went around the traffic pattern again. He landed and taxied the airplane back to the ramp without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall and lower fuselage. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The student pilot did not submit the NTSB Form 6120.1 Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N12064](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N12064), registered now, S/N 172S9839, built 2005 (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: 172S9839
- Year built: 2005
- Engines: Lycoming IO-360-L2A reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: I69, Batavia, OH
- Destination: I69, Batavia, OH
- Flight plan: Unknown
- Airport: I69, Clermont County, runway 22, 3,566 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Unknown

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Student pilot; age 61; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; flight hours: 205 total

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 50° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 90 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observed at: KLUK, 10 nm away

## 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 20180713011059A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180713011059A), Jul 13, 2018: Cessna 172S, Batavia, OH, Substantial damage. On July 13, 2018, N12064 a CE-172 was involved in an accident at clermont county airport (I69) during landing. The flight was conducted by a student pilot…

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 29, 2018, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=97804. 1.4 MB in all.

- Record of Conversation - Student Pilot (item 1, .PDF, 68 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40467807&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20Student%20Pilot-Master.PDF
- Accident Photos (item 2, .PDF, 2 photos, 1.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40467808&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.

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