- Date
- October 5, 2008, 20:30 local (Oct 6, 2008, 03:30 UTC)
- Place
- Compton, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N6048ZCessna 172S
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report September 30, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration FSDO
- Case key
- 73940
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 pilot's improper flare and inadequate recovery from a bounced landing.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The private pilot reported that the airplane bounced during landing. The airplane then began to porpoise and after the third bounce the pilot pushed the control yoke forward. The propeller then struck the runway surface. The pilot stated that he initially believed the airplane damage was limited to the propeller. Subsequent inspection revealed that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall and forward fuselage structure. The extent of the damage was not reported to the NTSB until June 1, 2009. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine prior to the accident.
Factual narrative
The private pilot reported that the airplane bounced during landing. The airplane then began to porpoise and after the third bounce the pilot pushed the control yoke forward. The propeller then struck the runway surface. The pilot stated that he initially believed the airplane damage was limited to the propeller. Subsequent inspection revealed that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall and forward fuselage structure. The extent of the damage was not reported to the NTSB until June 1, 2009. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6048Z
- Reported as
- Cessna 172S
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172S10217
- Airframe hours
- 1,078
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-L2A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Departed
- CPM · Compton, CA
- Destination
- CPM · Compton, CA
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- CPM · Compton, runway 25L, 3,322 × 60 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
- 28
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 60 total · 60 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.93 inHg
- Observed at
- HHR, 5 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 19, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.5 MB in all.