# NTSB NYC95LA172: Cessna 172P, N51081, Teterboro, NJ, July 24, 1995

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: July 24, 1995, 10:53 local (14:53 UTC)
- Place: Teterboro, NJ
- Location: 40.8501° N, 74.0608° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at TETERBORO (TEB), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.8501&lon=-74.0608&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report October 13, 1995
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 39013
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC95LA172
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/39013/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC95LA172

## Probable cause

the student pilot's improper flare which resulted in the airplane porpoising and the subsequent buckling of the firewall.

## Sequence of events

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

- Hard landing, landing - roll
  - flare - improper, pilot in command (cause)
  - porpoise/pilot-induced oscillation - encountered, pilot in command (contributing factor)

## Analysis

THE STUDENT PILOT WAS PRACTICING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS.  DURING THE SECOND LANDING, THE AIRPLANE PORPOISED DOWN THE RUNWAY, AND TOUCHED DOWN ON THE NOSE WHEEL.  THE STUDENT PILOT STATED, '...FINALLY, I MANAGED TO KEEP THE PLANE ON [THE] GROUND....I SHUT OFF EVERYTHING AND STEPPED OUT....' POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION REVEALED THE FIREWALL WAS BUCKLED, AND NO PREIMPACT ANOMALIES WITH THE ENGINE OR AIRFRAME.  ADDITIONALLY, THE WINDS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE REPORTED AS CALM.

## Factual narrative

On July 24, 1995, about 1053 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172P, N51081, sustained substantial damage during the landing, at the Teterboro Airport, Teterboro, New Jersey.  The student pilot was not injured.  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the instructional flight operated by Freund Air Inc.  There was no flight plan for the local flight conducted under CFR 14 Part 91.

The student pilot reported in the NTSB form 6120.1/2, that he was practicing touch and go landings at Teterboro.  During the second landing the airplane bounced down the runway.  The student stated, "...Finally, I managed to keep the plane on [the] ground....I shut off everything and stepped out."

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector, the student pilot performed a landing on runway 19.  During the landing, the airplane porpoised on the runway, bounced a few times, and the nose wheel struck the runway.

Postaccident investigation by the FAA Inspector revealed that the firewall was buckled, and the nosewheel tire had blown. Furthermore, no preimpact anomalies were found with the engine or airframe.

The winds at Teterboro Airport were reported at 1045 as calm.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N51081](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N51081), registered now, S/N 17274264 (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: 17274264
- Airframe hours: 6802
- Engines: LYCOMING O-320-D2J 160 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Air Fleet Training Systems
- Registered owner: Freun Air Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, July 5, 1995, 28 hours before
- Departed: TEB
- Airport: TEB, Teterboro, runway 19, 7,000 × 150 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 28; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 58 total, 58 in this make and model, 4 as pilot in command, 50 in the last 90 days, 20 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 11 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observed at: TEB

## 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 19950724048919A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950724048919A), Jul 24, 1995: Cessna 172P, Teterboro, NJ, Substantial damage. (-16) Airman comp. The airmen is a student pilot who first soloed on 06/17/95.

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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