- Date
- April 29, 1995, 12:57 local (16:57 UTC)
- Place
- Clearwater, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N96EPCessna 172P
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 29, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950429012809A
- Case key
- 37759
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
The pilot-in-command's improper remedial action after the aircraft porpoised during the landing flare and touchdown.
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
During landing flare the aircraft porpoised. The pilot pushed the nose over and the aircraft landing hard on the nose landing gear. The nose landing gear tire blew out and the nose gear collapsed. The aircraft nosed down and the right wing contacted the ground.
Factual narrative
On April 29, 1995, about 1257 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172, N96EP, registered to Vector I Air Service, made a hard landing at St. Petersburg-Clearwater Airport, Clearwater, Florida, while on a 14 CFR Part 91 pleasure flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft received substantial damage and the private-rated pilot and one passenger were not injured. The flight originated from Hernando, Florida on April 29, 1995, about 1230.
The pilot stated that during landing flare the aircraft ballooned. He lowered the nose and the aircraft landed hard on the nose landing gear. The nose tire blew out and the nose landing gear collapsed. The aircraft then nosed down and the right wing contacted the ground.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N96EP
- Reported as
- Cessna 172P
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17276256
- Airframe hours
- 1,075
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-D2J, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- American Flying Adventure Inc.
- Registered owner
- Vector I Air Service
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · February 28, 1995 · 81 hours before
- Departed
- BKV · Brooksville, FL
- Destination
- PIE
- Airport
- PIE · St. Petersburg-Clearwater, runway 9, 5,165 × 150 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
- 48
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 150 total · 4 in this make and model · 40 as pilot in command · 2 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 100° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PIE, 1 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.