# NTSB LAX02LA106: Cessna 172M, N4410R, Tucson, AZ, March 10, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 9, 2002, 17:25 local (Mar 10, 2002, 00:25 UTC) - Place: Tucson, AZ - Coordinates: 32.115833, -110.940834 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.1158&lon=-110.9408&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 29, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 54339 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX02LA106 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/54339/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54339 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX02LA106 ## Probable cause the pilot's misjudged landing flare and improper bounced landing recovery. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - flare - misjudged, pilot in command (cause) - porpoise/pilot-induced oscillation - encountered, pilot in command (cause) - recovery from bounced landing - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis The airplane bounced on landing and entered a porpoise, damaging the firewall. The pilot reported that she flared high. The airplane landed hard and bounced. Instead of aborting the landing, she pulled back on the yoke, and the airplane began to porpoise. The airplane bounced off the nose gear about two more times before stopping. ## Factual narrative On March 9, 2002, about 1725 mountain standard time, a Cessna 172M, N4410R, landed hard at the Tucson International Airport, Tucson, Arizona. Double Eagle Aviation was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The instructional cross-country flight departed Casa Grande Municipal Airport, Casa Grande, Arizona, about 1640, en route to Tucson. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan had been filed. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector interviewed the pilot, who stated that while landing, she flared high. The airplane landed hard and bounced. Instead of aborting the landing, she pulled back on the yoke, and the airplane began to porpoise. The airplane bounced off the nose gear about two more times before stopping. The airplane incurred damage to the firewall and nose gear. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4410R](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4410R), registered now, S/N 17263159, built 1974 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172M - Registry model: [Cessna 172M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m) (registry code 2072418) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17263159 - Airframe hours: 7893 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-E2D 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Double Eagle Aviation - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 1, 2002, 9.3 hours before - Departed: CGZ, Casa Grande, AZ - Destination: TUS, Tucson, AZ - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: KTUS, Tucson International Airport, runway 11L, 10,996 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 26; injuries: none; student; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 91 total, 91 in this make and model, 3 as pilot in command, 20 in the last 90 days, 12 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 340° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 18 °F - Altimeter: 30.13 inHg - Observed at: TUS ## 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 20020309009679A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020309009679A), Mar 9, 2002: Cessna 172M, Tucson, AZ, No damage. (-23) Pilot landed hard and bounced on first touch down. Pilot stated that following first bounce she held the wheel back to stop bouncing rather than… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 16, 2004, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54339. 379 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 348 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40392703&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Record of Conversation - FAA (item 2, .PDF, 31 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40215047&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20FAA-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.