- Date
- August 19, 2003, 11:36 local (15:36 UTC)
- Place
- Cleveland, OH
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N229MECessna 172
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 25, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- CLEVELAND FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20030819021239A
- Case key
- 57733
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 flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot approached the runway at 70 knots, idled the engine after crossing over the runway "numbers," and leveled off. He flared, and the airplane floated for a while. When the airplane landed, the pilot heard a noise, and thought he had hit something. The airplane ballooned about 5 feet in the air, and landed again. At that time, the nosewheel began to vibrate violently. The pilot realized that something was wrong, and made a decision not to go around. The airplane ballooned again, about 7 or 8 feet into the air, landed hard on the nosewheel, and bounced one last time. After the airplane settled onto the runway, it veered to the right and went into the grass. Examination of the airplane revealed that the firewall was completely wrinkled, and was split about 10 inches up from the base.
Factual narrative
On August 19, 2003, at 1136 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172, N229ME, was substantially damaged during a landing on runway 06L at Burke Lakefront Airport (BKL), Cleveland, Ohio. The certificated private pilot was not injured. An instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the flight that originated at Indianapolis Metropolitan Airport (UMP), Indianapolis, Indiana, about 0830. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
According to the pilot, he approached the runway at 70 knots, idled the engine after crossing over the runway "numbers," and leveled off. He flared the airplane, and it floated for a while. When the airplane landed, the pilot heard a noise, and thought he had hit something. The airplane ballooned about 5 feet into the air, and landed again. Then the nosewheel began to vibrate violently. The pilot realized that something was wrong, and made a decision not to go around. The airplane ballooned again, about 7 or 8 feet, landed hard on the nosewheel, and bounced one last time. After the airplane settled onto the runway, it veered right and went into the grass.
The passenger provided a statement that was similar to the pilot's statement.
A witness reported that the airplane made an approach to the runway, "at or above" 90 knots. It made a "fast three-point landing and bounced." After it bounced, the airplane was nose high and seemed to have stalled. After it stalled, the airplane "nose-dived, porpoising down the runway," and out of his line of sight.
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector examined the airplane on the day of the accident. According to the inspector, the firewall was completely wrinkled, and was split about 10 inches up from the base.
The pilot reported a total of 208 flight hours, all of which were in make and model.
Weather at the time of the accident was reported as wind from 020 degrees at 6 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, and clear skies.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N229ME
- Reported as
- Cessna 172
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17258483
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Marks Aircraft Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- UMP · Indianapolis, IN
- Destination
- BKL · Cleveland, OH
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- BKL; · Burke Lakefront, runway 6L
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
- 55
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 208 total · 208 in this make and model · 18 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
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 N229ME · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.