# NTSB GAA18CA428: Cessna 172, N7880G, Nashville, TN, July 17, 2018 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: July 17, 2018, 12:00 local (17:00 UTC) - Place: Nashville, TN - Coordinates: 36.124443, -86.678054 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.1244&lon=-86.6781&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 26, 2019 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 97814 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA18CA428 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/97814/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=97814 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA428 ## Probable cause The pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a bounced landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172L, 24 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072432), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [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 172L, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=2072432), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/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 172L, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md?model=2072432), [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) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172L, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=2072432), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md) ## Analysis . The pilot reported that, during his solo flight, he made an approach, but the airplane's airspeed was fast. He intended to float along the 8,000-ft-long runway, extending the distance to touchdown, because he wanted to exit at the taxiway near the end of the runway. During the landing flare, he misperceived the airplane's height above the runway because the runway was 50 ft wider than his departure airport's runway. He added that the airplane sank, touched down on the main landing gear, and then bounced. The pilot reported that he panicked and applied back pressure to the yoke, "thinking that it would slow...[the airplane] down." The airplane bounced several times, and he applied forward pressure to the yoke "to get some forward momentum to flare again," but the airplane settled on the runway. During taxi, the pilot felt something was wrong with the nosewheel but continued to taxi to the hangar. The airplane sustained substantial damage the lower engine mounts. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative According to the pilot he had sought instruction from a flight instructor to complete his airplane single engine land, commercial certificate. He completed his airplane multi-engine land, commercial certificate two years prior, and his airplane single-engine land, private certificate three years prior. He reported that during his solo flight, he made an approach, but the airplane's airspeed was fast. He recalled that his intent was to float along the 8,000ft runway, extending the distance to touchdown because he wanted to exit at the taxiway near the end of the runway. He reported that during the flare, he misperceived the airplane's height above the runway, because the runway was 50ft wider than his departure airport's runway. The airplane "sunk", touched down on the main landing gear, and bounced. The pilot reported that he panicked and applied back pressure to the yoke, "thinking that it would slow me down." The airplane bounced several times and he applied forward pressure to the yoke, "to get some forward momentum to flare again." The airplane settled on the runway. During taxi the pilot felt something was wrong with the nose wheel but continued to taxi to the hangar. The airplane sustained substantial damage the lower engine mounts. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7880G](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7880G), registered now, S/N 17259580, built 1970 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172 (L) - Registry model: [Cessna 172L](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172l) (registry code 2072432) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17259580 - Year built: 1970 - Airframe hours: 3920 - Engines: Lycoming O-320 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Nashville Flight Training - Registered owner: Southern Skies Aviation Llc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, July 9, 2018 - Departed: XNX, Gallatin, TN - Destination: BNA, Nashville, TN - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: BNA, Nashville Intl, runway 02C, 8,001 × 150 ft, concrete - Equipment: Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 30; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review December 20, 2016; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 183.3 total, 152.8 in this make and model, 131 as pilot in command, 7.9 in the last 90 days, 6.8 in the last 30 days, 1.5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 3,400 ft broken - Temperature: 90 °F, dew point 72 °F - Altimeter: 30.01 inHg - Observed at: KBNA, 1 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 20180717011479A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180717011479A), Jul 17, 2018: Cessna 172L, Nashville, TN, Substantial damage. Pilot departed kbna at approximately 1040 CDT 07/17/18 for kxnx on a solo flight in a Cessna 172 (N7880G). Pilot completed 3 landings and take-offs at kxnx.… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 9, 2019, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=97814. 6.1 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 6.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40472763&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-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.