# NTSB NYC08CA103: Cessna 172P, N62283, Gainesville, FL, February 14, 2008 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: February 14, 2008, 14:45 local (19:45 UTC) - Place: Gainesville, FL - Coordinates: 29.694444, -82.275001 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.6944&lon=-82.2750&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 31, 2008 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 67529 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC08CA103 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/67529/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC08CA103 ## Probable cause The pilot's improper flare. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172P, 19 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md?model=2072436), [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172P, 39 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=2072436), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis The student pilot of the Cessna 172P stated that he was conducting a solo cross-country flight. After entering the airport traffic pattern on the downwind leg, he configured the airplane for landing and reduced the engine power to idle on the final leg of the approach. During the landing, the airplane "porpoised and landed hard" resulting in damage to the nose landing gear, propeller, and firewall. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane. ## Factual narrative According to the student pilot of the Cessna 172P, he was conducting a solo cross-country flight. After entering the airport traffic pattern on the downwind leg, he configured the airplane for landing and reduced the engine power to idle on the final leg of the approach. During the landing, the airplane "porpoised and landed hard" resulting in damage to the nose landing gear, propeller, and firewall. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N62283](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N62283), registered now, S/N 17275244 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172P - Registry model: [Cessna 172P](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172p) (registry code 2072436) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17275244 - Airframe hours: 15589 - Engines: Lycoming O-320 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Delta Connection Academy - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, January 1, 2008 - Departed: SFB, Sanford, FL - Destination: GNV, Gainesville, FL - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: GNV, Gainesville Regional Airport, runway 11, 7,504 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 27; injuries: none; student; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 51 total, 7 in this make and model, 2 as pilot in command, 38 in the last 90 days, 11 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 130° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 59 °F, dew point 28 °F - Altimeter: 30.21 inHg - Observed at: GNV ## 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 20080214011089A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080214011089A), Feb 14, 2008: Cessna 172P, Gainesville, FL, Substantial damage. (-23) On February 14, 2008, the pilot [privacy data omitted] was administering his first solo cross country flight on a Cessna 172 N62283. His flight… ## Other investigations on N62283 (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 ERA22LA167](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22LA167), Mar 25, 2022: Cessna 172P (N62283), Winder, GA, destroyed. Probable cause: Maintenance personnel’s failure to detect the damaged aileron cable during the most recent inspections, which resulted in the separation of the aileron control cable and subsequent loss of airplane… 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.