# NTSB SEA07CA077: Cessna 172S, N521ER, Kingman, AZ, March 10, 2007

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: March 10, 2007, 08:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place: Kingman, AZ
- Coordinates: 35.265834, -113.941108
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.2658&lon=-113.9411&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report May 29, 2007
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration
- NTSB case key (mKey): 65435
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA07CA077
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/65435/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA07CA077

## Probable cause

The pilot's misjudged flare, which resulted in a hard landing and a porpoise.

## 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)
- On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - flare/touchdown
  - terrain condition - runway
  - porpoise/pilot-induced oscillation - encountered, pilot in command (cause)

## Analysis

The student pilot was on a cross-country training flight, landing at her destination, when the airplane porpoised during landing.  About 5 miles from the airport, she initiated the descent to traffic pattern attitude.  The student pilot stated that due to the late descent, the airplane's airspeed was higher than normal.  The airplane touched down and the nose gear dropped.  This was followed by a propeller strike on the runway.  The airplane porpoised down the runway, incurring additional propeller strikes on the runway, and then came to a stop on a taxiway.  During the accident sequence, the firewall buckled.  The student pilot stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane prior to the accident.

## Factual narrative

The student pilot was on a cross-country training flight, landing at her destination, when the airplane porpoised during landing.  About 5 miles from the airport, she initiated the descent to traffic pattern attitude.  The student pilot stated that due to the late descent, the airplane's airspeed was higher than normal.  The airplane touched down and the nose gear dropped.  This was followed by a propeller strike on the runway.  The airplane porpoised down the runway, incurring additional propeller strikes on the runway, and then came to a stop on a taxiway.  During the accident sequence, the firewall buckled.  The student pilot stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane prior to the accident.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N521ER](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N521ER), registered now, S/N 172S8924, built 2001 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Cessna 172S
- Registry model: [Cessna 172S](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s) (registry code 2072439) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 172S8924
- Engines: Textron Lycoming IO-360-L2A reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
- Registered owner: GE Aircraft LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: PRC, Ernest A Love, AZ
- Destination: IGM, Kingman, AZ
- Flight plan: VFR
- Airport: IGM, Kingman Airport, runway 21, 6,827 × 150 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 18; student; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2; flight hours: 43 total, 43 in this make and model, 17 in the last 90 days, 11 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 68 °F
- Observed at: KIGM

## 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 20070310003839A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070310003839A), Mar 10, 2007: Cessna 172S, Kingman, AZ, Substantial damage. (-23) Student pilot initiated non-stabilized approach, landed hard and subsequently nose gear collapsed causing damage to nose landing gear, propeller and…

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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