- Date
- April 7, 2008, 14:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- San Luis Obispo, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N65630Cessna 172S
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 30, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20080407838309A
- Case key
- 67956
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 inadequate landing flare, resulting in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the gusty wind condition.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The airplane's descent was uneventful. The wind was reported as 300 degrees at 19 knots gusting to 25 knots. After touchdown, the airplane porpoised. The pilot then taxied the airplane to the hangar. Although the landing was very rough, the pilot was unaware that the airplane was damaged. Post-flight examination revealed that the propeller blades were slightly bent to the rear, and the firewall was dented.
Factual narrative
In a written statement, the pilot reported that the airplane's descent was uneventful. The wind was reported as 300 degrees at 19 knots gusting to 25 knots. After touchdown, the airplane porpoised. The pilot then taxied the airplane to the hangar. She stated that although the landing was very rough, she was unaware that the airplane sustained damage. Post-flight examination revealed that the propeller blades were slightly bent to the rear, and the firewall was dented.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N65630
- Reported as
- Cessna 172S
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172S9736
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-L2A, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Pacific Aerocademy
- Registered owner
- J Highland LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Departed
- KSBP · San Luis Obispo, CA
- Destination
- KSBP · San Luis Obispo, CA
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- KSBP · San Luis County Regional
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
- 52
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3
- Flight hours
- 65 total · 65 in this make and model · 45 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 19 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.09 inHg
- Observed at
- SBP
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.