- Date
- August 10, 2008, 14:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Charlottesville, VA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N5210ACessna 172
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 22, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20080810843129A
- Case key
- 68721
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's improper flare while landing. Contributing to the accident was the gusty wind condition.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that he was practicing touch-and-go landings on runway 21 when he flared high and added additional engine power to smooth the touchdown; however, the airplane landed hard and bounced. He performed a go-around and subsequently landed without further incident. Subsequent inspection of the airplane revealed damage to the nose gear assembly and engine firewall. Winds reported at the airport about the time of the accident were from 200 degrees at 11 knots, gusting to 17 knots. The pilot did not report any mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the Cessna 172S was practicing touch-and-go landings on runway 21, a 6,001-foot-long, 150-foot-wide, asphalt runway. He reported that he flared high and added additional engine power to smooth the touchdown; however, the airplane landed hard and bounced. He performed a go-around and subsequently landed without further incident. Subsequent inspection of the airplane revealed damage to the nose gear assembly and engine firewall. Winds reported at the airport about the time of the accident, were from 200 degrees at 11 knots, gusting to 17 knots. The pilot did not report any mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5210A
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (S)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172S9118
- Airframe hours
- 2,962
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Charlottesville Flight Center
- Registered owner
- Charlottesville Flight Center
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- CHO · Charlottesville, VA
- Destination
- CHO · Charlottesville, VA
- Airport
- CHO · Charlottesville-Albemarie, runway 21, 6,001 × 150 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 61
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 20, 2007
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 23,000 total · 500 in this make and model · 19,000 as pilot in command · 10 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 11 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 7,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 183 °F, dew point 124 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.79 inHg
- Observed at
- CHO
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N5210A · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.