- Date
- August 13, 1989, 10:35 local (17:35 UTC)
- Place
- Redlands, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N51920Cessna 172P
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 30, 1991
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890813028919A
- Case key
- 26475
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 improper level-off, recovery from bounced landing, and failure to maintain directional control during the landing. The pilot's limited recent experience was a contributing factor.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
In his oral and written statements, the pilot said that the approach was completely normal. Just as the aircraft was in the flare, the pilot said the aircraft nose went to the left and he applied right rudder, which suddenly made the nose of the aircraft go too FAR to the right. The pilot noted that he couldn't get the aircraft straightened out before the main wheels contacted the runway. The pilot said that the aircraft 'hit and bounced, and when it came back down, it veered off the left side of the runway.' Witnesses on the airport reported that the aircraft hit the runway very hard while in a crab. Examination of the pilot's logbook revealed that he had limited recent experience, logging only two hours within the last 90 days. Examination of the landing gear revealed that the severity of the hard landing sheared the main gear strut attach bolts, which allowed the right gear to rotate freely.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N51920
- Reported as
- Cessna 172P
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17274377
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-DJ2, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Redlands Aviation
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- L12
- Destination
- L12
- Airport
- L12 · Redlands Muni, runway 26, 4,500 × 75 ft, asphalt
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
- 42
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 140 total · 6 in this make and model · 86 as pilot in command · 2 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point -0 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N51920 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.