# NTSB NYC02LA053: Cessna 172R, N9525V, Richmond, VA, January 27, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: January 27, 2002, 11:40 local (16:40 UTC) - Place: Richmond, VA - Coordinates: 37.390945, -77.590209 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.3909&lon=-77.5902&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 1, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 54087 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC02LA053 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/54087/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54087 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC02LA053 ## Probable cause The pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing. A factor in the accident was the pilot improper flare. ## 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 (contributing factor) - recovery from bounced landing - improper, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis The student was returning from her first cross-country solo flight. After entering the traffic pattern and turning final, the student slowed the airplane to approximately 65 to 70 knots, and selected 30 degrees of flaps. While concentrating on her descent angle, airspeed, and centerline alignment, the student did not flare the airplane properly. The airplane touched down hard, bounced back into the air, and then touched down three more times. The student does not remember pushing the yoke forward during any of the bounces, but felt the airplane may have touched down nose wheel first. The propeller, the nose wheel assembly, and the engine firewall were all damaged during the landing. ## Factual narrative On January 27, 2002, about 1140 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172R, N9525V, was substantially damaged while landing at the Chesterfield County Airport (FCI), Richmond, Virginia. The student pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the instructional flight that departed the Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport (CHO), Charlottesville, Virginia, destined for Chesterfield. A visual-flight-rules flight plan was filed and activated for the flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The student was returning from her first cross-country solo flight. She entered a downwind for runway 15 about midfield. Because she was following another airplane, she extended the downwind for spacing. She turned base and then final a "little faster than normal," but had extra time from extending the downwind. She slowed the airplane to approximately 65 to 70 knots, and selected 30 degrees of flaps. While concentrating on descent angle, airspeed, and maintaining centerline alignment, the student "did not flare properly," and the airplane touched down hard. The airplane bounced back into the air, and then touched down three more times. The student does not remember pushing the yoke forward during any of the bounces, but felt the airplane may have touched down nose wheel first. The student taxied to parking, and the airplane was placed in its hangar. According to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, the propeller displayed ground impact damage. He also observed damage to the nose wheel assembly, and several compression wrinkles on the engine firewall. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9525V](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9525V), registered now, S/N 17280315, built 1998 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172R - Registry model: [Cessna 172R](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172r) (registry code 2072401) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 SER A&C](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-ser-a-c) (registry code 41511, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17280315 - Airframe hours: 1596.2 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360-L2A 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Dominion Aviation Services, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, December 26, 2001, 44.5 hours before - Departed: CHO, CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - Destination: FCI, Richmond, VA - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: FCI, Chesterfield County, runway 15, 5,500 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 38; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 111 total, 111 in this make and model, 7 as pilot in command, 13 in the last 90 days, 8 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 220° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 36 °F - Altimeter: 30.23 inHg - Observed at: RIC, 11 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 20020127001779A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020127001779A), Jan 27, 2002: Cessna 172R, Richmond, VA, No damage. (-23) On January 27, 2002, aircraft N9525V was substantially damaged duringlanding on runway 15 at Chesterfield County Airport, Virginia. The student pilot was… ## Other investigations on N9525V (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 GAA19CA130](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA130), Feb 4, 2019: Cessna 172 (N9525V), Hanover, VA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot's improper decision to release the seat latch to adjust the seat position during taxi, which resulted in his inability to reach the rudder or brake pedals and a subsequent loss of… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 6, 2003, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54087. 2.7 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1/2 (item 1, .PDF, 444 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40381833&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1%2F2-Redacted.PDF - Record of Interview with FAA Inspector (item 2, .PDF, 31 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40381834&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Interview%20with%20FAA%20Inspector-Redacted.PDF - Photograph of Damage to Engine Firewall (item 3, .PDF, 720 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40147210&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photograph%20of%20Damage%20to%20Engine%20Firewall-Master.PDF - Photograph of Damage to Engine Firewall Opposite Angle (item 4, .PDF, 749 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40147211&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photograph%20of%20Damage%20to%20Engine%20Firewall%20Opposite%20Angle-Master.PDF - Overview Photograph of Firewall Damage (item 5, .PDF, 777 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40147212&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Overview%20Photograph%20of%20Firewall%20Damage-Master.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.