WPR10CA392

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 172P · San Jose, CA · August 8, 2010

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
August 8, 2010, 14:00 local (21:00 UTC)
Place
San Jose, CA
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N64204Cessna 172P
Defining event
Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report March 16, 2011
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Western Pacific Region
Parties
Federal Aviation Administration
FAA report
20100808042159A
Case key
76903

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 · 2

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.

Performance/control parameters: landing flareAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Incorrect use/operationCessna 172P: 38 casesAll aircraft: 1,285 casesProbable cause
Action: incorrect action performancePersonnel issues › Action/decision · PilotCessna 172P: 19 casesAll aircraft: 1,386 casesProbable cause

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 pilot reported that after a cross-country flight, she maneuvered the airplane onto final approach while maintaining about 65 knots. The pilot flared too early and as a result, the airplane stalled and landed hard. The airplane bounced down the runway and the pilot continued to pull back on the control yoke. After the third bounce, the airplane touched down and came to a stop at the end of the runway. As the pilot was taxiing the airplane back to the parking area, she noticed that when the rudder was fully deflected to the right it made a clipping sound. When she exited the airplane, she examined the airplane and observed the propeller tips were bent. Postaccident examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall and fuselage. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions prior to the accident.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that after a cross country flight an airspeed of 65 knots was maintained while on final approach. When the airplane touched-down the pilot thought the landing was hard “where I flared a bit too early and stalled...But there was a total unexpected bounce.” The pilot stated she verified the throttle was idle when the airplane touched down again and bounced a second time. The pilot continued to pull back on the yoke and the airplane touched down and bounced for a third time. After the third bounce the airplane touched down and came to a stop at the end of the runway. As the pilot was taxiing the airplane back to the parking area, she noticed that when the rudder was fully deflected to the right it made a clipping sound. When she exited the airplane, she examined the airplane and observed the propeller tips were bent. Post examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall and fuselage. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions prior to the accident.

Aircraft

Registration
N64204
Reported as
Cessna 172P
Category
Airplane
Serial number
17275534
Engine
Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
Ahart Aviation
Registered owner
Ahart Aviation
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Departed
KLVK · Livemore, CA
Destination
KRHV · San Jose, CA
Airport
KRHV · Reid-Hillview Airport, runway 13L, 3,100 × 75 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
19
Injuries
None
Certificate
Commercial
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
Last flight review
October 26, 2009
Seat
Left
Flight hours
284 total · 53 in this make and model · 168 as pilot in command · 18 in the last 90 days · 18 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
80° at 8 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
77 °F, dew point 54 °F
Altimeter
29.88 inHg
Observed at
KRHV

Docket · 2

The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 27, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 719 KB in all.

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 N64204 · 2

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.