- Date
- October 21, 2003, 12:45 local (16:45 UTC)
- Place
- Melbourne, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N734JTCessna 172N
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 5, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20031021032399A
- Case key
- 58266
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Inadvertent full retraction of the flaps, while recovering from a bounced landing, resulting in an inadvertent stall, uncontrolled descent, and subsequent impact with terrain.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The private-rated pilot was on final approach for runway 4, and flared too high with full flaps. The airplane touched down and bounced two to three times, the last bounce was around 25 to 35 feet high. The pilot applied full throttle, switched carburetor heat off and hit the flap switch to retract 1 notch of flaps. The airplane pitched nose down and impacted the runway; ground scars on the north edge of the runway associated with the propeller blades were noted. Damage to the fuselage and propeller was noted; one of the propeller blades was bent forward. Post accident, the pilot noticed the flaps were fully retracted.
Factual narrative
On October 21, 2003, about 1245 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N734JT, registered to and operated by Indian River Flying Club, as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, experienced a hard landing on runway 4, at Melbourne International Airport, Melbourne, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The airplane sustained substantial damage and the private-rated pilot and private-rated passenger both reported no injuries. The flight originated from Space Coast Regional Airport, Titusville, Florida, the same day at 1210.
According to the FAA inspector at the scene, the firewall was damaged, the fuselage was creased near the left baggage door, and both propeller blades were damaged. One blade was bent forward and the other is missing 3 inches of length.
The airport maintenance officer found the tip of one of the propeller blades about 50 feet west of where the airplane came to rest. Several ground scars associated with the propeller blades were found on the north edge of runway 4.
The pilot stated that on final approach for runway 4 with full flaps, he crossed the threshold with an indicated airspeed between 68 and 70 knots. He flared, stating that he may have been "a little bit too high, but not all that bad." The airplane touched down and bounced two to three times, becoming airborne to a height of approximately 25 to 35 feet following the last bounce. He applied full power, hit the flap switch to retract 1 notch of flaps, and turned off the carburetor heat. The pilot reported the airplane then "nosed over" and touched down "very hard." The propeller hit the ground and the airplane went of the left side of the runway. After the airplane came to rest the pilot and passenger noted that the flaps were fully retracted.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N734JT
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17268896
- Airframe hours
- 7,294.3
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-H2AD, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Indian River Flying Club
- Registered owner
- Indian River Flying Club
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 16, 2003 · 213 hours before
- Departed
- KTIX · Titusville, FL
- Destination
- KMLB
- Airport
- KMLB · Melbourne International Airpt, runway 4, 3,001 × 75 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 62
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3 total · 110 in this make and model · 54 as pilot in command · 22 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 20° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,700 ft broken
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.03 inHg
- Observed at
- MLB
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.