# NTSB LAX98LA055: Cessna 172N, N739HE, San Jose, CA, November 28, 1997 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: November 28, 1997, 13:00 local (21:00 UTC) - Place: San Jose, CA - Coordinates: 37.32941, -121.770782 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.3294&lon=-121.7708&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 4, 1998 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 30009 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX98LA055 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/30009/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA055 ## Probable cause the student pilot's failure to maintain an appropriate airspeed and proper rate of descent, and his misjudged landing flare, which led to an uncontrolled porpoise and eventual collapse of the landing gear. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - airspeed - excessive, pilot in command (cause) - proper descent rate - not obtained/maintained, pilot in command (cause) - flare - misjudged, pilot in command (cause) - recovery from bounced landing - improper, pilot in command (cause) - porpoise/pilot-induced oscillation - inadvertent, pilot in command - Nose gear collapsed, landing - flare/touchdown - landing gear,nose gear strut - overload ## Analysis On the student pilot's second landing of his third solo instructional flight, he had been cleared for the option. He remembers feeling fatigued and disoriented before turning to the base leg; however, once he turned on final he felt normal again. He stated that he configured the aircraft for landing, but that his airspeed was high and the aircraft was descending at a rapid rate. The student said the aircraft landed hard and became airborne again. He attempted to recover from the hard landing, but the aircraft continued to porpoise down the runway until the nose gear collapsed. ## Factual narrative On November 28, 1997, at 1300 hours Pacific standard time, a Cessna 172N, N739HE, sustained substantial damage when it veered off runway 31R while practicing touch-and-go landings at the Reid-Hillview Airport, San Jose, California. The aircraft landed, porpoised, and came to rest with the nose gear collapsed between runways. The student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The aircraft was being operated by Nice Air. Visual meteorological conditions existed for the local solo instructional flight and no flight plan was filed. The student pilot reported that this was his third solo flight in the pattern and that there were no problems on the first touch-and-go. On the second landing he was again cleared for the option. He reported that he felt fatigued and disoriented on downwind-to-base. On base-to-final he felt normal again and configured the aircraft for landing. He stated that his airspeed was high, he was descending at a rapid rate, and had a ". . .hard time controlling the airplane." He reported that the airplane struck the runway and became airborne again. He attempted to recover from the hard landing, but the aircraft continued to porpoise down the runway. The aircraft came to rest and the tower advised him to shut the engine down. An airport truck towed the aircraft back to the operator's base. An Federal Aviation Administration inspector from the San Jose Flight Standards District Office, examined the aircraft on scene. No abnormalities were noted with the aircraft. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N739HE](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N739HE), registered now, S/N 17270549, built 1978 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172N - Registry model: [Cessna 172N](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n) (registry code 2072434) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 1720549 - Airframe hours: 7740 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-H2AD 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Hiroyasu Takai - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, October 26, 1997, 61 hours before - Departed: RHV - Airport: RHV, Reid Hillview, runway 31R, 3,101 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 25; student; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 45 total, 45 in this make and model, 20 in the last 90 days, 13 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 15 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 59 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: RHV ## 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 19971128040399A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971128040399A), Nov 28, 1997: Cessna 172N, San Jose, CA, Substantial damage. (.19) On November 28, 1997, at 1300 hours pacific standard time, a Cessna 172N, N739HE, sustained substantial damage when it veered off runway 31R while… 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.