# NTSB MIA02LA091: Cessna 172S, N786SP, Daytona Beach, FL, April 28, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 28, 2002, 10:40 local (14:40 UTC) - Place: Daytona Beach, FL - Coordinates: 29.078056, -81.044441 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.0781&lon=-81.0444&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 20, 2002 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 54604 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA02LA091 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/54604/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54604 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA02LA091 ## Probable cause the pilot misjudged the landing flare, resulting in a hard landing, and damage to the airplane. ## 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 According to the pilot, upon landing, he flared the airplane, landed hard on the main landing gear, and bounced 3 to 4 times on the nose of the airplane. At the end of the runway he noticed that he had no elevator control. Examination of the airplane's control surfaces, after the accident revealed the elevators were found stuck in the down position due to impact damage causing the pilot's side control column to jam within the control yoke guide assembly, hindering fore and aft movement of the control column. There was no damage found to any of the control surfaces or any other part of the cabin structure. ## Factual narrative On April 28, 2002, about 1040 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172S, N786SP, registered to an individual, made a hard landing at the Spruce Creek Airport, Daytona Beach Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. No flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. The airplane was substantially damaged. The commercial-rated pilot and two passengers reported no injuries. The flight had departed from the same airport at 1010 en route to Palm Beach, Florida. According to the pilot, he taxied onto runway 23, and the airplane responded "as usual and we took off normally." After about 15 minutes of flight and level at 1,000 feet, a passenger wanted to return to the airport because of turbulence below clouds. He entered a left downwind for runway 23, and on short final he placed the flaps at 30 degrees, with an "approach speed of 70 knots." The pilot flared the airplane, landed hard, bounced and then impacted with the runway. He said he touched down on the "main wheels" then assumed a "nose down attitude," and bounced "3 to 4" times on the nose of the aircraft. He retarded the throttle to idle and retracted the flaps. At the end of the runway he noticed that he had "no elevator control." After shutting the engine off he noted that there was propeller damage, 1/2 inch at one tip, and 1 1/2 inches on the other tip. After the accident, examination of the airplane's control surfaces by the FAA and a representative of the aircraft manufacturer revealed the elevators were found stuck in the down position. The trim tab was positioned to the 10-degree tab up position. The elevator electric trim system and auto pilot system functioned without any discrepancies when tested. The flaps were found fully retracted. The firewall displayed impact damage and was found displaced upwards about 2 to 2 1/2 inches. The forward cabin floor was found displaced upwards. The left pilot control column was found jammed within the control yoke guide assembly, hindering fore and aft movement of the control column, but did not effect aileron or rudder travel. There was no damage found to any of the control surfaces or any other part of the cabin structure (See the copy of the Cessna Aircraft's Report, an attachment to this report). ## Aircraft - Registration: [N786SP](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N786SP), registered now, S/N 172S8713, built 2001 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172S - Registry model: [Cessna 172S](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s) (registry code 2072439) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17258713 - Airframe hours: 97.6 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360-L2A 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Richard C. Devins - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 1, 2002, 3.4 hours before - Departed: 7FL6, Daytona Beach, FL - Destination: PBI, West Palm Beach, FL - Airport: 7FL6, Spruce Creek, runway 23, 4,000 × 176 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 51; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review August 16, 2001; seat: left; flight hours: 561 total, 15 in this make and model, 348 as pilot in command, 4 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 220° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 91 °F, dew point 75 °F - Altimeter: 30.18 inHg - Observed at: KDAB, 5 nm away ## 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 20020428015089A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020428015089A), Apr 28, 2002: Cessna 172S, Daytona Beach, FL, Substantial damage. (-23) On April 28, 2002, a Cessna model 172, serial number N786SP, made an abrupt landing on runway 23, causing substantial damage to the nose gear nad… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 5, 2002, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54604. 983 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 352 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40436421&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Supplement S (item 2, .PDF, 53 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40166462&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Supplement%20S-Master.PDF - Other Pertinent Forms and Reports - Cessna Aircraft Company (item 3, .PDF, 554 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40436422&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Other%20Pertinent%20Forms%20and%20Reports%20-%20Cessna%20Aircraft%20Company-Redacted.PDF - FAA Inspector's Statement (item 4, .PDF, 24 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40436423&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%27s%20Statement-Redacted.PDF 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.