# NTSB NYC04CA053: Cessna 172R, N363SA, Bluffton, OH, December 27, 2003

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: December 27, 2003, 12:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place: Bluffton, OH
- Coordinates: 40.885276, -83.868614
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.8853&lon=-83.8686&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report March 30, 2004
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Parties: Columbus FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 58550
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC04CA053
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/58550/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC04CA053

## Probable cause

The pilot's improper flare and inadequate recovery from a bounced landing.

## 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 (cause)
  - recovery from bounced landing - inadequate, pilot in command (cause)

## Analysis

During landing, the student pilot experienced an "unexpected wind gust."  The airplane was lifted upward, and then impacted the runway "very hard."  The airplane then bounced and came to rest on the nose wheel first, causing the landing gear strut to bend and the propeller to impact the runway.  The student pilot stated that he was "too relaxed" during the landing, and should have accelerated to avoid impacting the runway hard.  He reported 38 hours of total flight experience at the time of the accident.

## Factual narrative

On December 27, 2003, at 1530 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172R, N363SA, was substantially damaged while landing at the Bluffton Airport (5G7), Bluffton, Ohio.  The certificated student pilot was not injured.  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the flight which originated at the Mansfield Lahm Regional Airport (MFD), Mansfield, Ohio.  The solo instructional flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

According to the student pilot, during landing on runway 23 at Bluffton, the airplane was hit by an "unexpected wind gust."  The airplane was lifted upward, and then impacted the runway "very hard."  The airplane then bounced and came to rest on the nose wheel first, causing the landing gear strut to bend and the propeller to impact the runway.

The student pilot stated that he was "too relaxed" during the landing, and should have accelerated to avoid impacting the runway hard.  He reported 38 hours of total flight experience at the time of the accident.

The winds reported at FDY, 12 miles to the northeast of Bluffton, at 1556, were from 150 degrees at 7 knots.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N363SA](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N363SA), registered now, S/N 17280756 (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: 172-80756
- Airframe hours: 1523
- Engines: Lycoming IO-360 160 horsepower
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Registered owner: AVX Flight Center
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, November 17, 2003, 23 hours before
- Departed: MFD, Mansfield, OH
- Destination: 5G7, Bluffton, OH
- Airport: 5G7, Bluffton, runway 23

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Student pilot; age 67; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 38 total, 38 in this make and model, 8 as pilot in command, 24 in the last 90 days, 18 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 150° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 45 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter: 30.27 inHg
- Observed at: FDY

## 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 20031227034059A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20031227034059A), Dec 27, 2003: Cessna 172R, Bluffton, OH, Substantial damage. (-23) The student pilot was landing at Bluffton Airport (5G7) when the aircdraft was hit by a sudden gust of wind. The pilot stated the aircraft was lifted up…

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.

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