# NTSB LAX02LA135: Cessna 172M, N61737, Avalon, CA, March 24, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 24, 2002, 11:00 local (19:00 UTC) - Place: Avalon, CA - Coordinates: 33.379001, -118.450332 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.3790&lon=-118.4503&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 4 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 25, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 54513 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX02LA135 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/54513/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54513 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX02LA135 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate bounced landing recovery technique, which resulted in an inadvertent porpoise. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - recovery from bounced landing - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - porpoise/pilot-induced oscillation - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis The rental airplane porpoised on landing and sustained substantial damage to the firewall. The pilot said that the approach was normal. The flap position indicator ceased to function during the flight and the pilot estimated that he used 20 degrees of flaps for the approach and landing. He said that once he had the runway made, he reduced the throttle to idle and flared. He stated that even though the throttle was all the way to the rear, the engine continued to produce "quite a bit of power" that he estimated was between 1,200 and 1,600 rpms. The aircraft bounced after the initial touchdown and he lowered the nose in an attempt to get the airplane to settle onto the runway. The aircraft bounced three more times during this process. The pilot stated that the only way he could get the engine to cease producing excess thrust was to move the mixture control to the idle cutoff position. After moving the mixture, the engine continued to run for 30 or more seconds until it finally shutdown. Examination of the maintenance records disclosed that the engine had been overhauled on January 16, 2002, and was installed on the airframe on March 12, 2002, about 17 hours prior to the accident. The records listed the carburetor as having been overhauled at the time of engine overhaul. Safety Board investigators examined the airplane and engine at the operator's maintenance facility. The carburetor exhibited fuel staining from the parting surface gasket. Continuity of the power controls was established between the cockpit and the carburetor. The carburetor was removed from the engine and taken to a carburetor overhaul facility, where it was installed on a calibrated fuel flow test bench. The carburetor flowed to specification and the float stopped the flow at the correct level. Following the functional test, the unit was disassembled. The screws securing the bowl chamber to the carburetor body were tight. The brass floats were intact and set correctly. The jets were intact and clear. According to the NOAA Airport Facility Directory entry for the Catalina Airport, runway 22 is asphalt and 3,240 feet long by 100 feet wide with a 1.7 percent upslope for the first 2,000 feet. The runway is equipped with a Visual Approach Slope Indicator set to 3 degrees. ## Factual narrative On March 24, 2002, at 1100 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 172M, N61737, porpoised on landing at the Catalina Island Airport, Avalon, California. The airplane, which sustained substantial damage to the firewall, was operated by the Long Beach Flying Club and rented by the pilot for a personal cross-country flight under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 of the Federal Aviation Regulations. The commercial pilot and three passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the flight that originated at the Long Beach, California, airport at 1000. In both written and verbal statements, the pilot said that the approach was normal. The flap position indicator ceased to function during the flight and the pilot estimated that he used 20 degrees of flaps for the approach and landing. He said that once he had the runway made, he reduced the throttle to idle and flared. He stated that even though the throttle was all the way to the rear, the engine continued to produce "quite a bit of power" that he estimated was between 1,200 and 1,600 rpms. The aircraft bounced after the initial touchdown and he lowered the nose in an attempt to get the airplane to settle onto the runway. The aircraft bounced three more times during this process. The pilot stated that the only way he could get the engine to cease producing excess thrust was to move the mixture control to the idle cutoff position. After moving the mixture, the engine continued to run for 30 or more seconds until it finally shutdown. Examination of the maintenance records disclosed that the engine, a Lycoming O-320-E2D, Serial Number L-39946-27A, had been overhauled on January 16, 2002, and was installed on the airframe on March 12, 2002, about 17 hours prior to the accident. The records listed the carburetor, a Marvel Schebler MA4-SP, serial number 10-5135, as having been overhauled at the time of engine overhaul. Safety Board investigators examined the airplane and engine on April 18, 2002, at the operator's maintenance facility. The data plates for the engine and carburetor matched those listed in the maintenance records. The carburetor exhibited fuel staining from the parting surface gasket. Continuity of the power controls was established between the cockpit and the carburetor. There were no data tags or placards found on the carburetor and the data plate carried a "MF" stamp. The carburetor was removed from the engine and taken to a carburetor overhaul facility, where it was installed on a calibrated fuel flow test bench. The carburetor flowed to specification and the float stopped the flow at the correct level. Following the functional test, the unit was disassembled. According to the technician who performed the disassembly, the screws securing the bowl chamber to the carburetor body were tight, but not as tight as he usually sees on most carburetors that come in for overhaul. The brass floats were intact and set correctly. The jets were intact and clear. According to the NOAA Airport Facility Directory entry for the Catalina Airport, runway 22 is asphalt and 3,240 feet long by 100 feet wide with a 1.7 percent upslope for the first 2,000 feet. The runway is equipped with a Visual Approach Slope Indicator set to 3 degrees. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N61737](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N61737), registered now, S/N 17264763, built 1975 (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: 17264173 - Airframe hours: 4669 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-E2D 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Long Beach Flying Club - Registered owner: Frederick D. Callison, Sr. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, March 12, 2002, 18 hours before - Departed: KLGB, Long Beach, CA - Destination: KAVX, Avalon, CA - Airport: AVX, Catalina, runway 22, 3,240 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 27; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review December 22, 2000; seat: left; flight hours: 1,707 total, 1,030 in this make and model, 1,231 as pilot in command, 15 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 300° at 11 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,600 ft overcast - Temperature: 52 °F, dew point 45 °F - Altimeter: 30.03 inHg - Observed at: AVX ## 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 20020324005649A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020324005649A), Mar 24, 2002: Cessna 172M, Avalon, CA, No damage. (-23) On March 24, 2002, at 1100 pacific standard time, a Cessna 172M, N61737, porpoised on landing at the Catalina island airport, Avalon, California. The… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 19, 2003, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54513. 939 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 394 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40418681&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Weather Reports and Records (item 2, .PDF, 81 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40157946&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Reports%20and%20Records-Master.PDF - Pilot Statement to FAA Inspector (item 3, .PDF, 44 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40418682&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%20Statement%20to%20FAA%20Inspector-Redacted.PDF - Aircraft and Engine Maintenance Records (item 4, .PDF, 387 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40418683&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Aircraft%20and%20Engine%20Maintenance%20Records-Redacted.PDF - Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 (item 5, .PDF, 32 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40418684&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Release%20of%20Aircraft%20Wreckage,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.15-Redacted.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.