- Date
- August 14, 1995, 18:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Fulton, NY
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N6338FCessna 172
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 21, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950814049199A
- Case key
- 39029
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 misjudged the flare, resulting in a hard landing and subsequent collapse of the nose gear.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The private pilot was receiving instruction for the purpose of a biennial flight review and checkout in a flying club airplane. The flight instructor stated that he was demonstrating 'procedures for engine failure on takeoff.' After completing a normal takeoff, and climb to an altitude of approximately 150-200 feet above ground level, the flight instructor reduced power to idle and lowered the nose to complete the landing. The instructor stated, '[I] misjudged the flare at [the] bottom of glide, resulting in a hard landing, forcing the nose gear forward.'
Factual narrative
On August 14, 1995, about 1800 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172, N6338F, collided with the runway during a simulated forced landing at the Fulton Airport, Fulton, New York. The airplane was substantially damaged, and the certified flight instructor (CFI) and private pilot were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The local, training flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The private pilot was receiving instruction for the purpose of a bi-annual flight review and checkout in a flying club airplane. The CFI stated that he was going to demonstrate "procedures for engine failure on takeoff."
According to the CFI's statement on the NTSB Form 6120.1/2:
...completed normal T.O. [takeoff] with climb to approximately 150-200 feet AGL [above ground level]. Reduced power to idle and lowered nose to complete landing. [I] misjudged the flare at bottom of glide resulting in hard landing forcing the nose gear...forward....
The local weather was; clear, visibility 10 miles, temperature 91 degrees F, dew point missing, wind calm, altimeter 29.89 inches Hg.
At the time of the accident, the pilot had 6,000 total flight hours, 321 instructor flight hours and 160 flight hours in this make and model airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6338F
- Reported as
- Cessna 172
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17273195
- Airframe hours
- 7,395
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4M, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Syracuse Flying Club Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 1, 1994 · 253 hours before
- Departed
- NOO
- Airport
- N00 · Oswego County, runway 15, 5,200 × 75 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
- 48
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 6,000 total · 160 in this make and model · 5,000 as pilot in command · 81 in the last 90 days · 23 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 91 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
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 N6338F · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.