# NTSB MIA02LA157: Cessna 172N, N4859F, Pinehurst, NC, August 25, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 25, 2002, 09:30 local (13:30 UTC) - Place: Pinehurst, NC - Coordinates: 35.240001, -79.396385 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.2400&lon=-79.3964&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 23, 2002 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 55590 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA02LA157 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/55590/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA02LA157 ## Probable cause The student pilot's improper recovery from bounced landing which resulted in substantial 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 - improper, pilot in command - recovery from bounced landing - improper, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis The student said that his initial approach to land was normal, but as the airplane touched down it bounced, and then it touched down a second time, impacting the ground heavily on the nose wheel, and the tire "blew." He said he then applied the brakes to attempt to stop the airplane, and it came to rest partially on the paved runway and partially on the grass. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed damage to the firewall, and fuselage areas immediately aft of the firewall. Prior to the accident there had been no mechanical failure or malfunctions to the airplane or any of its systems. ## Factual narrative On August 25, 2002, about 0930, eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N4859F, registered to and operated by a private individual as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight, had a hard landing at Moore County Airport, Pinehurst, North Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The student-rated pilot was not injured, and the airplane incurred substantial damage. The flight departed Pinehurst, North Carolina, the same day, about 0915. The student stated that he had dropped off his flight instructor after having been instructed to remain within the traffic pattern and perform practice landings. He said that his initial approach to land was normal, but as the airplane touched down it bounced, and then it touched down a second time, impacting the ground heavily on the nose wheel, and the tire "blew." He said he then applied the brakes to attempt to stop the airplane, and it came to rest partially on the paved runway and partially on the grass. Postaccident examination of the aircraft revealed damage to the firewall, and fuselage areas immediately aft of the firewall. Prior to the accident there had been no mechanical failure or malfunctions to the airplane or any of its systems. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4859F](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4859F), registered now, S/N 17273089, built 1979 (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: 17273089 - Airframe hours: 2213 - Engines: Textron Lycoming O-320-H2AD 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Charles O. Peterson?Donald Bennett - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 3, 2002, 51 hours before - Departed: SOP, Pinehurst, NC - Airport: SOP, Moore County, runway 05, 5,503 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 58; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 46 total, 46 in this make and model, 1 as pilot in command, 42 in the last 90 days, 14 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 310° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 86 °F, dew point 68 °F - Altimeter: 29.95 inHg - Observed at: SOP ## 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 20020825026489A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020825026489A), Aug 25, 2002: Southern Pines, NC, Substantial damage. (-23) Student pilot on 2nd landing of his 2nd solo flight landed hard and did not correct the porpoise that resulted. Aircraft hit on nose wheel and damaged… 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.