- Date
- June 4, 1996, 18:50 local (Jun 5, 1996, 01:50 UTC)
- Place
- Ramona, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N738PSCessna 172N
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report August 20, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960604014969A
- Case key
- 29475
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 misjudged and delayed landing flare, and inadequate recovery technique from a bounced landing (porpoise). Sun glare was a factor in the accident.
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 pilot reported that the landing was into the setting sun, and his depth perception was impaired by excessive sun glare on the windshield. The aircraft impacted the runway nose wheel first and porpoised three or four times before the nose landing gear collapsed.
Factual narrative
On June 4, 1996, at 1850 hours Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N738PS, was substantially damaged when the nose wheel collapsed during a landing at the Ramona Airport, Ramona, California. The private pilot and one passenger were not injured. The operator reported that visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The personal flight departed from the McClellan-Palomar Airport, Carlsbad, California, at 1830. The NTSB was notified of the accident on June 20, 1996.
In his written report, the pilot said that his landing approach to runway 27 was into the setting sun. He reported that during the landing flare excessive glare from the sun on the windshield disrupted his altitude perception over the runway. He reported that he "must [have] flared a little bit too late" and landed on the nose wheel first after which the aircraft porpoised three or four times before the nose landing gear collapsed. He reported no malfunction or failure with the aircraft.
The operator stated that weather was not a factor in the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N738PS
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17270136
- Airframe hours
- 1,992
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-H2AD, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Sun Valley Leasing Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 8, 1996 · 36 hours before
- Departed
- CRQ · Carlsbad, CA
- Destination
- L39
- Airport
- L39 · Ramona, runway 27, 4,000 × 150 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
- 18
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 120 total · 18 in this make and model · 26 as pilot in command · 2 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
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 N738PS · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.