# NTSB LAX00LA012: Cessna 172P, N123FR, Torrance, CA, October 8, 1999 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 7, 1999, 18:20 local (Oct 8, 1999, 01:20 UTC) - Place: Torrance, CA - Coordinates: 33.800445, -118.349853 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.8004&lon=-118.3499&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 25, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 47624 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX00LA012 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/47624/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00LA012 ## Probable cause The pilot's excessive airspeed on final approach and his misjudged flare, which resulted in a uncontrolled porpoise and hard landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - airspeed - excessive, pilot in command (cause) - flare - misjudged, pilot in command (cause) - porpoise/pilot-induced oscillation - not corrected, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis Controllers in the tower observed the airplane porpoise on each of the two prior touch-and-go landings. The pilot reported that on the third touch-and-go he realized he was too high and fast on final, but continued the approach anyway. The landing was hard and he then performed a go-around. He told the air traffic controller that he thought his nose wheel might be flat. The pilot made a full-stop landing and taxied to the flight school, where a damaged firewall and tailskid were found. ## Factual narrative On October 7, 1999, at 1820 hours Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 172P, N123FR, landed hard and collapsed the nose gear at the Torrance, California, airport. The airplane, operated by South Bay Aviation of Torrance and rented by the pilot, was substantially damaged. The private pilot and two passengers were not injured. The local personal flight, conducted under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91, originated from Torrance at 1730. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. An air traffic controller at Torrance reported that the pilot had made two touch-and-go landings to runway 29L, and had porpoised on each landing. During the third traffic pattern, the controller asked the pilot if he needed assistance and the pilot informed him that he thought his nose wheel might be flat. The controller contacted the airport emergency services and a fire truck was dispatched to the runway. The pilot landed without incident where the firewall was found damaged. The pilot returned to Japan following the accident. He provided a written statement in Japanese, which subsequently translated. In the statement, the pilot reported that on final approach he realized that he was too high and fast, but continued the approach. When he began the landing flare, the aircraft's tail hit the runway. The nose of aircraft then hit the runway hard. The pilot performed a go-around. He made a full-stop landing, and then taxied to the flight school. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector from the Long Beach Flight Standards District Office examined the airplane and reported that the firewall was dented in at least 1/2-inch at the nose gear attachment point and the tail tie down hook was flattened. ## Aircraft - Registration: N123FR (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172P - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17276540 - Airframe hours: 1880 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-D2J 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: South Bay Aviation - Registered owner: Gregory Sparkman - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, October 5, 1999, 2 hours before - Departed: TOA - Airport: TOA, Torrance Zamperini Field, runway 29L, 3,000 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 36; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 180 total, 180 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 230° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 77 °F, dew point 52 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: HHR, 8 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 19991007040429A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19991007040429A), Oct 7, 1999: Cessna 172P, Torrance, CA, Substantial damage. (-23) Pilot was high and fast on approach to 29L, flared and porpoised, hit tail, then landed hard on nose wheel. Initiated go-around, repeated same thing on… 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.