# NTSB SEA06CA082: Cessna 172, N20488, Aurora, OR, March 28, 2006 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: March 28, 2006, 09:25 local (16:25 UTC) - Place: Aurora, OR - Coordinates: 45.247222, -122.769996 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.2472&lon=-122.7700&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 29, 2006 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 63563 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA06CA082 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/63563/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA06CA082 ## Probable cause The student pilot's misjudgment of the landing flare resulting in a hard landing. A related factor was the crosswind. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - flare - misjudged, pilot in command (cause) - weather condition - crosswind (contributing factor) ## Analysis The student pilot was trying to land in a 12 knot crosswind when he failed to flare soon enough to ensure a normal touchdown. Therefore, the aircraft landed hard, bounced back into the air, and then came down on the nose gear and the right main landing gear. The force of the landing was sufficient to result in substantial damage to the aircraft's firewall. ## Factual narrative On March 28, 2006, approximately 0925, Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 172, N20488, experienced a hard landing at Aurora State Airport, Aurora, Oregon. The student pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured, but the aircraft, which is operated by Willamette Aviation, sustained substantial damage. The 14 CFR Part 91 solo instructional flight, which departed the same airport approximately 25 minutes prior to the accident, was being operated in visual meteorological conditions. According to the student pilot, he was trying to land in a 12 knot crosswind when he failed to flare soon enough to ensure a normal touchdown. Therefore, the aircraft landed hard, bounced back into the air, and then came down on the nose gear and the right main landing gear. The force of the landing was sufficient to result in substantial damage to the aircraft's firewall. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N20488](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N20488), registered now, S/N 17261331, built 1973 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172 - 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: 17261331 - Engines: Continental O-320 reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Willamette Aviation - Registered owner: David F. Waggoner - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: KUAO, Aurora, OR - Destination: KUAO, Aurora, OR - Airport: KUAO, Aurora State, runway 35 ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 49; student; medical: class 3; flight hours: 66 total, 66 in this make and model, 6 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day ## 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 20060328030479A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060328030479A), Mar 28, 2006: Cessna 172M, Aurora, OR, Substantial damage. (-23) This office was not notified of this accident. We did not receive a fax/other from nwmr r.o. the first we learned of this accident was when AAI-200… ## Other investigations on N20488 (1) 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. - [NTSB GAA16CA011](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16CA011), Oct 2, 2015: Cessna 172M (N20488), McMinnville, OR, substantial damage. Probable cause: The flight instructor's failure to correct the student pilot's approach path during the final approach, which resulted in a collision with runway threshold lights. Contributing to the accident was… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.