# NTSB WPR09CA209: Cessna 172P, N64204, Livermore, CA, April 20, 2009

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: April 20, 2009, 08:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place: Livermore, CA
- Coordinates: 37.689445, -121.818885 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.6894&lon=-121.8189&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report July 28, 2009
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Adminstration
- NTSB case key (mKey): 73704
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR09CA209
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/73704/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09CA209

## Probable cause

The student pilot’s improper recovery from a bounced landing.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172P, 38 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=2072436), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172P, 76 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072436), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172P, 39 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=2072436), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The student pilot was performing touch-and-go takeoffs and landings on his second supervised solo flight. The airplane landed hard, and bounced back into the air. The pilot added power and released back pressure on the yoke, which resulted in the airplane impacting the runway on the nose landing gear. The forward fuselage and firewall were substantially damaged.

## Factual narrative

The student pilot was performing touch-and-go takeoffs and landings on his second supervised solo flight. Upon landing, the airplane landed hard, and bounced back into the air. The pilot added power, and released back pressure on the yoke, which resulted in the airplane impacting the runway on the nose landing gear. The fuselage and firewall were substantially damaged.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N64204](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N64204-2019-06-12), registration cancelled 2019-06-12, S/N 17275534, built 1981 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172P
- Registry model: [Cessna 172P](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172p) (registry code 2072436) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 17275534
- Airframe hours: 14015
- Engines: LYCOMING O-320 SERIES 160 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Wollard Aviation Inc., doing business as Ahart Aviation Sevices
- Registered owner: Michael W Arraiz
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, April 13, 2009, 21 hours before
- Departed: LVK, Livermore, CA
- Destination: LVK, Livermore, CA
- Airport: LVK, Livermore Municipal Airport, runway 25R, 5,255 × 100 ft, concrete

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Student pilot; age 28; injuries: none; student; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 46 total, 46 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observed at: LVK

## 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 20090420006849A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090420006849A), Apr 20, 2009: Cessna 172P, Livermore, CA, Substantial damage. (-23) On 04/20/2009, at 08:30 PDT at the Livermore (lvk) airport, during approach to the Livermore airport on runway 25R, the pilot was traveling about 70 to…

## Other investigations on N64204 (2)

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 WPR18CA072](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR18CA072), Jan 20, 2018: Cessna 172P (N64204), Cloverdale, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during the approach and his delayed decision to go around.
- [NTSB WPR10CA392](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR10CA392), Aug 8, 2010: Cessna 172P (N64204), San Jose, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s improper flare and inadequate recovery from a bounced landing.

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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