# NTSB NYC07CA112: Cessna 172SP, N462ER, Daytona Beach, FL, May 5, 2007

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: May 4, 2007, 21:31 local (May 5, 2007, 01:31 UTC)
- Place: Daytona Beach, FL
- Coordinates: 29.179721, -81.057777
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.1797&lon=-81.0578&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report June 27, 2007
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 65735
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC07CA112
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/65735/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC07CA112

## Probable cause

The pilot's improper flare at night, which resulted in a hard landing.  A factor in the accident was the pilot's lack of recent night experience.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown
  - light condition - bright night
  - flare - improper, pilot in command (cause)
  - lack of recent experience, pilot in command (contributing factor)

## Analysis

According to the private pilot, as she approached to land on the runway at the large, well lit, international airport, the Cessna 172SP was "a little high, a little fast, and I flared higher than usual."  The airplane landed hard, bounced, and collapsed the nose landing gear, which resulted in substantial damage.  According to the pilot, it was her first night solo flight at this airport, and the purpose of the flight was preparation for an additional rating.  A review of her logbook revealed that she had accumulated 160 total hours of flight experience, of which 22 hours were at night.  She had performed only one night landing with an instructor 2 nights before the accident flight, and the most recent night landing before the instructional flight was 64 days prior.

## Factual narrative

According to the private pilot, as she approached to land on the runway at the large, well lit, international airport, the Cessna 172SP was "a little high, a little fast, and I flared higher than usual."  The airplane landed hard, bounced, and collapsed the nose landing gear, which resulted in substantial damage.  According to the pilot, it was her first night solo flight at this airport, and the purpose of the flight was preparation for an additional rating.  A review of her logbook revealed that she had accumulated 160 total hours of flight experience, of which 22 hours were at night.  She had performed only one night landing with an instructor 2 nights before the accident flight, and the most recent night landing before the instructional flight was 64 days prior.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N462ER (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: Cessna 172SP
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 172S10282
- Engines: Lycoming IO-360L2A 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Embry Riddle Aeronautical University
- Registered owner: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: DAB, DAYTONA BEACH, FL
- Destination: DAB, Daytona Beach, FL
- Airport: KDAB, Daytona Beach International, runway 7R, 3,195 × 100 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 18; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2; flight hours: 160 total, 33 in this make and model, 11 in the last 90 days, 8 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/bright
- Wind: 90° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 77 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observed at: DAB

## 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 20070504008939A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070504008939A), May 4, 2007: Cessna 172S, Daytona Beach, FL, Substantial damage. (-23) The aircraft nose landing gear was found pushed upward and rearward into the firewall. Pilot reported the aircraft bounced on landing. She estimated…

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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