# NTSB NYC98LA026: Cessna 172M, N1487V, Salisbury, MD, October 30, 1997

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: October 30, 1997, 09:30 local (14:30 UTC)
- Place: Salisbury, MD
- Coordinates: 39.159824, -76.629447 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.1598&lon=-76.6294&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report January 28, 2000
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 39499
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC98LA026
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/39499/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC98LA026

## Probable cause

The student pilot's improper flare which resulted in a hard landing.

## Sequence of events

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

- Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown
  - flare - improper, pilot in command (cause)

## Analysis

As the student pilot was landing, after a solo cross country flight, the airplane began to float in ground effect.  The student pilot then pushed the controls forward touching down on the nose wheel.  The airplane began to bounce and subsequently sustained substantial damage.

## Factual narrative

On October 30, 1997 at 0930 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172M, N1487V, was substantially damaged during a hard landing at the Salisbury-Ocean City Wicomico Regional Airport, Salisbury, Maryland.  The certificated student pilot was not injured.  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the solo cross country flight that departed the Martin State Airport, Baltimore, Maryland, about 0845.  A visual flight rules flight plan was filed for the instructional flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

In a statement submitted by the student pilot, he reported that there were no problems encountered while en route.  When he arrived at Salisbury, he conducted an approach to runway 32 with 20 degrees of flaps and an airspeed of 80 MPH.  During the landing, the airplane floated in ground effect, and the student pilot released back pressure and lowered the nose.  The airplane then landed hard on the nose wheel and began to bounce several times.

Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector revealed that the firewall was wrinkled.  There was no evidence of pre-impact failures with the airplane nor did the student pilot report any.

The winds at Salisbury were reported as calm.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N1487V](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1487V), registered now, S/N 17263621, built 1974 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Cessna 172M
- Registry model: [Cessna 172M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m) (registry code 2072418) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 17263621
- Airframe hours: 5737
- Engines: Lycoming O-235-E2D 150 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Brett Aviation Inc.
- Registered owner: Caplan Leasing Corp.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, October 9, 1997, 43 hours before
- Departed: MTN, BALTIMORE, MD
- Destination: SBY
- Flight plan: VFR
- Airport: SBY, Salsbury-Ocean City Reg., runway 32, 5,500 × 150 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 67; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 157 total, 154 in this make and model, 15 as pilot in command, 11 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: SBY

## 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 19971030048119A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971030048119A), Oct 30, 1997: Cessna 172M, Salisbury, MD, Substantial damage. (-16) Student pilot on second class country experienced hard landing at sby on runway 32, porpoised aircraft causing substantial damage to the firewall.

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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