# NTSB LAX03LA231: Cessna 172S, N5327G, Chandler, AZ, July 12, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 12, 2003, 10:22 local (17:22 UTC) - Place: Chandler, AZ - Coordinates: 33.269165, -111.811111 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.2692&lon=-111.8111&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 3, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 57489 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX03LA231 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/57489/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX03LA231 ## Probable cause The pilot's misjudged landing flare, improper recovery from a bounced landing and failure to maintain directional control, resulting in a runway sign collision. ## 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) - recovery from bounced landing - improper, pilot in command (cause) - porpoise/pilot-induced oscillation - encountered, pilot in command - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - flare/touchdown - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll - object - airport sign/marker ## Analysis The student pilot made a hard landing followed by 5 or 6 porpoise-like bounces on the runway during his first supervised solo flight. Thereafter, he lost control of the airplane, and it collided with a runway sign. The student pilot's flight instructor reported that her student had performed what appeared to have been a normal approach to the runway using 30 degrees of wing flaps. The student appeared to flare out higher than normal over the runway, and he increased engine power to recover just before the hard landing. ## Factual narrative On July 12, 2003, about 1022 mountain standard time, a Cessna 172S, N5327G, made a hard landing and collided with a runway sign at the Chandler Municipal Airport, Chandler, Arizona. The airplane was operated by Angel Air, Chandler, under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91, and it was substantially damaged. The student pilot was not injured during the solo instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Chandler about 1016. The student pilot's certified flight instructor (CFI) reported that earlier during the morning she and her student practiced several landings in the traffic pattern. The CFI opined that the student was ready to perform his first solo flight. She exited the airplane and observed the student depart, fly downwind, and make what appeared to be a normal approach to the runway using 30 degrees of flaps. The wind was nearly calm. The student appeared to flare out higher than normal over the runway, and he increased engine power to recover. According to the student, after increasing engine power the desired effect was not achieved, and the nose wheel struck the runway hard. Thereafter, the airplane porpoised 5 to 6 times. The student lost control of the airplane. The airplane veered off the left side of the runway and collided with a runway sign. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5327G](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5327G), registered now, S/N 172S9357 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172S - Registry model: [Cessna 172S](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s) (registry code 2072439) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 172S9357 - Airframe hours: 349 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360-L2A 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Angel Air - Registered owner: Cyn-Air, LLC. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, June 13, 2003, 79 hours before - Departed: CHD, Chandler, AZ - Destination: CHD, Chandler, AZ - Airport: CHD, Chandler Muinicipal, runway 22R, 4,401 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 31; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 24 total, 24 in this make and model, 0 as pilot in command, 17 in the last 90 days, 14 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 210° at 5 knots - Visibility: 20 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 100 °F, dew point 59 °F - Altimeter: 29.96 inHg - Observed at: CHD ## 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 20030712018659A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030712018659A), Jul 12, 2003: Cessna 172S, Chandler, AZ, Substantial damage. (-23) After completing 6 full stop landings during a dual instructional flight, the flight instructor elected to authorize the student for his first solo. On… ## Other investigations on N5327G (1) 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. - [NTSB LAX04CA288](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX04CA288), Aug 8, 2004: Cessna 172S (N5327G), Chandler, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: the student pilot's failure to abort the takeoff. A contributing factor was the pilot's failure to maintain directional control. 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.