# NTSB LAX98LA301: Cessna 172F, N8761U, Long Beach, CA, September 21, 1998 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 20, 1998, 21:30 local (Sep 21, 1998, 04:30 UTC) - Place: Long Beach, CA - Coordinates: 33.819297, -118.109375 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.8193&lon=-118.1094&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 30, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 43975 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX98LA301 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/43975/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA301 ## Probable cause The pilot's misjudging the flare point and failure to maintain an adequate airspeed margin, which resulted in a stall/mush and hard landing. A contributing factor was the dark night conditions. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - light condition - dark night (contributing factor) - flare - misjudged, pilot in command (cause) - airspeed(vref) - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - stall/mush - inadvertent, pilot in command ## Analysis The pilot entered the landing pattern under night conditions and everything was normal until he flared for touchdown. He believed he had flared high and added power to help control the descent rate. He then reduced power. The nose dropped and the propeller, nose gear, left main landing gear, and left wing tip struck the pavement almost simultaneously. The aircraft bounced and struck the ground with the right wing tip before coming to rest on the runway. ## Factual narrative On September 20, 1998, at 2130 hours Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 172F, N8761U, sustained substantial damage during a hard landing at Long Beach, California. The commercial pilot and his two passengers were not injured. The local flight was operated by the pilot under 14 CFR Part 91, and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The pilot and his wife departed Fullerton, California, and stopped in Torrance, California, to pickup a passenger. No flight plan was filed. After departing Torrance and flying over the Long Beach harbor area, the pilot decided to land at Long Beach airport. The pilot stated he flared high; the airplane slowed so he added power to help control his descent. He then reduced power and the nose dropped. The propeller, nose wheel, left main landing gear, and left wing tip struck the ground simultaneously. The airplane bounced and the right wing struck the ground. Both propeller blades were bent, the firewall was buckled, the nose and left wheel pants were damaged, and the fuselage was buckled aft of the cowling. Both wing tips were scraped and skin panels on both wings were wrinkled. The right aileron and left horizontal stabilizer were also damaged. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8761U](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8761U), registered now, S/N 17252665, built 1965 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172F - Registry model: [Cessna 172F](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172f) (registry code 2072414) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-300 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-300-series) (registry code 17022, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17252665 - Airframe hours: 3594 - Engines: Continental O-300-D 145 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Richard Dombrow - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility - Last inspection: Annual, October 29, 1997, 145 hours before - Departed: TOA, TORRANCE, CA - Destination: LGB - Airport: LGB, Daugherty Field, runway 25L, 5,420 × 150 ft, concrete ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 34; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 887 total, 95 in this make and model, 827 as pilot in command, 5 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark - Wind: 170° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 3,900 ft overcast - Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 61 °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 19980920032089A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980920032089A), Sep 20, 1998: Cessna 172F, Long Beach, CA, Substantial damage. After three practice night takeoffs and landings at kful, the pilot took one passenger to ktoa where he picked up another passenger and proceeded to klgb.… ## Other investigations on N8761U (1) 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. - [NTSB NYC68F0484](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC68F0484), May 31, 1968: Cessna 182 (N8761U), Medford, NJ, substantial damage 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.