- Date
- May 9, 1995, 15:50 local (22:50 UTC)
- Place
- Stockton, CA
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N39ESCessna 172N
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 6, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950509010899A
- Case key
- 29090
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 failure of the pilot to properly judge the landing flare, and his improper bounced landing recovery technique, which resulted in a landing gear collapse during a hard landing.
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
The aircraft was cleared for a full stop landing. Ground witnesses stated that the pilot touched down hard, bounced, then touched down a second time, collapsing the right main landing gear. The aircraft struck two runway markers as it ground looped off the right side of the runway. The pilot reported no mechanical problems.
Factual narrative
On May 9, 1995, at 1550 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N39ES, sustained substantial damage during a hard landing at Stockton, California. The aircraft was owned and operated by Port City Aviation, Inc., and was completing the return leg of a cross-country flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a VFR flight plan had been filed for the operation. Neither the certificated private pilot nor his three passengers were injured. The return leg originated from the Meadows Field airport, Bakersfield, California, at 1430 on the day of the accident.
The aircraft was cleared for a full stop landing on runway 29L. Witnesses stated that the pilot touched down hard, bounced, then touched down a second time, collapsing the right main landing gear. The aircraft yawed right, struck two runway markers, and ground looped off the right side of the runway. Automated terminal information service (ATIS) "Charlie" was in effect. At the time of the accident ATIS was reporting winds from 020 degrees at 10 knots.
The pilot reported no mechanical problems with the aircraft prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N39ES
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17269233
- Airframe hours
- 5,368
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-H2AD, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Port City Aviation, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · April 21, 1995 · 46 hours before
- Departed
- BFL · Bakersfield, CA
- Destination
- SCK · CA
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- SCK · Stockton Metro, runway 29L, 2,996 × 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
- 45
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 75 total · 6 in this make and model · 29 as pilot in command · 40 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 40° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,300 ft broken
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SCK
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.