- Date
- April 2, 1999, 08:56 local (13:56 UTC)
- Place
- Lawrence, MA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N66162Cessna 172P
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 10, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19990402002999A
- Case key
- 46061
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 student pilot's improper flare, and his improper recover from a bounced landing.
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
After a dual instructional flight, the student pilot (SP) departed for his first solo flight. The SP was attempting a touch and go landing, when the airplane's nose wheel contacted the runway, and the airplane bounced back up into the air. The airplane bounced two to three times, and it's propeller struck the runway. The airplane came to rest on the runway. Examination of the airplane did not reveal evidence of any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions of the airframe or engine. The airplane's nose gear had been driven up into the fuselage, damaging the firewall. The SP reported 35 hours of total flight experience, of which, 24 hours were in the past 90 days.
Factual narrative
On April 2, 1999, about 0856 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172P, N66162, was substantially damaged while landing at the Lawrence Municipal Airport, Lawrence, Massachusetts. The certificated student pilot (SP) was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the local instructional flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
According to the CFI, after a dual flight lesson, which included touch and go landings, balked landings, and go-arounds, he felt the SP was ready for his first solo flight. The SP stated his intent was to perform a touch and go landing, and then a landing to a full stop.
The CFI observed the flight from the ground. He stated the airplane entered the traffic pattern for runway 5, and the SP's approach seemed very standard and normal. He further stated:
"...the flare and round out seemed a little flat. The nose wheel of the aircraft made contact with the runway, this caused the aircraft to porpoise back up into the air. The oscillations got worse and worse until finally the propeller made contact with the runway. I estimate about three bounces before the [propeller] struck the runway."
The airplane came to rest on the runway.
The SP stated he believed he landed a "little too fast," which caused the airplane to balloon, and bounce.
Examination of the airplane by an FAA Inspector did not reveal evidence of any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions of the airframe or engine. The airplane's nose gear had been driven up into the fuselage, damaging the firewall.
The SP reported 35 hours of total flight experience, of which, 24 hours were in the past 90 days.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N66162
- Reported as
- Cessna 172P
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17275973
- Airframe hours
- 7,000
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Four Star Aviation
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- LWM
- Airport
- LWM · Lawrence Municipal, runway 5, 5,000 × 159 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
- 43
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 35 total · 24 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 80° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,300 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 46 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LWM
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 N66162 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.