# NTSB NYC08CA037: Cessna 172N, N6492E, Statesboro, GA, November 17, 2007

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: November 17, 2007, 16:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place: Statesboro, GA
- Coordinates: 32.482776, -81.736946
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.4828&lon=-81.7369&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report April 30, 2008
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 67122
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC08CA037
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/67122/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC08CA037

## Probable cause

The student pilot's failure to maintain a proper flare at touchdown.

## Sequence of events

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

- Loss of control - in flight, landing - flare/touchdown
  - flare - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
- Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown

## Analysis

The 27-hour student pilot of the Cessna 172N successfully completed the first leg of a solo cross country flight, and returned for landing on runway 23 at his airport of origin. The pilot reported that on final approach, he was lined up correctly, was at the appropriate speed, and that everything "felt good." He also reported that when he began the flare, a gust of wind "caught the back of the plane," and lifted the tail. The pilot believed that he had landed nose gear first. He completed the rollout and taxied to the terminal without further incident. The pilot did not experience any preimpact failures or malfunctions with the airplane, and a postaccident examination of the airplane revealed damage to the propeller, nose landing gear and firewall. The weather observation at the airport about the time of the accident recorded winds from 220 degrees at 4 knots.

## Factual narrative

The 27-hour student pilot of the Cessna 172N successfully completed the first leg of a solo cross country flight, and returned for landing on runway 23 at his airport of origin. The pilot reported that on final approach, he was lined up correctly, was at the appropriate speed, and that everything "felt good." He also reported that when he began the flare, a gust of wind "caught the back of the plane," and lifted the tail. The pilot believed that he had landed nose gear first. He completed the rollout and taxied to the terminal without further incident. The pilot did not experience any preimpact failures or malfunctions with the airplane, and a postaccident examination of the airplane revealed damage to the propeller, nose landing gear and firewall. The weather observation at the airport about the time of the accident recorded winds from 220 degrees at 4 knots.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N6492E](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6492E), registered now, S/N 17272024, built 1978 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Cessna 172N
- Registry model: [Cessna 172N](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n) (registry code 2072434) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 17272024
- Airframe hours: 8616
- Engines: Lycoming O-320 160 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Pegasus Air, doing business as Pegasus Air
- Registered owner: Pegasus Air
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, November 1, 2007
- Departed: BNL, Barnwell, SC
- Destination: TBR, Statesboro, GA
- Airport: TBR, Statesboro-Bulloch County, runway 23, 4,383 × 100 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 33; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 27 total, 12 in this make and model, 5 as pilot in command, 27 in the last 90 days, 11 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 220° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observed at: TBR

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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