# NTSB LAX97LA332: Cessna 172M, N61913, Long Beach, CA, September 14, 1997

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: September 14, 1997, 10:45 local (17:45 UTC)
- Place: Long Beach, CA
- Coordinates: 33.820972, -118.259056 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.8210&lon=-118.2591&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report November 10, 1998
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 29908
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX97LA332
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/29908/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX97LA332

## Probable cause

the student pilot's misjudged landing flare which led to a balloon and subsequent hard landing.

## 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)

## Analysis

The student pilot had been endorsed for a solo flight in the pattern.  On landing the aircraft ballooned slightly. During recovery, the nose gear struck the runway hard deflating the nose tire and damaging the firewall.

## Factual narrative

On September 14, 1997, at 1045 hours Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 172M, N61913, landed hard on runway 25R at the Long Beach, California, airport.  The aircraft sustained substantial damage, and the student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured.  Visual meteorological conditions existed for the local solo instructional flight that originated from Long Beach at 0900.

The student pilot was endorsed for a solo flight in the pattern.  She stated that the aircraft ballooned slightly on landing.  During the recovery, the nose gear struck hard and the nose tire deflated.  The student pilot reported that after the landing was completed, she cleared the active runway and received clearance from a ground controller to taxi to the parking area.

The accident was reported to the Safety Board on October 9, 1997, following discovery of damage to the firewall.  There were no reported mechanical problems.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N61913](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N61913-1998-02-20), registration cancelled 1998-02-20, S/N 17264881 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Cessna 172M
- Registry model: [Cessna 172M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m) (registry code 2072418) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 17264881
- Airframe hours: 6631
- Engines: Lycoming O-320-E2D 150 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Dale Choppin
- Registered owner: Kerry F. Choppin
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, September 6, 1997, 25 hours before
- Departed: LGB
- Airport: LGB, Daughtery Field, runway 25R, 6,192 × 150 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 51; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 20 total, 20 in this make and model, 10 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 260° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observed at: LGB

## 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 19970914046899A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970914046899A), Sep 14, 1997: Cessna 172M, Long Beach, CA, Substantial damage. (.4) On September 14, 1997, at 1045 hours pacific daylight time, a Cessna 172M, N61913, landed hard on runway 25R at the Long Beach, California, airport. The…

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.