- Date
- February 13, 2011, 09:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Lancaster, CA
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N31FCCessna 172
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dawn
- Status
- Completed · report June 13, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20110213001869A
- Case key
- 78477
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 student pilot's improper flare which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the certified flight instructor's delayed remedial action.
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 certified flight instructor (CFI) reported that the student pilot was practicing short field procedures and had completed several uneventful landings. As they approached the runway, the CFI noted that the student had leveled the airplane too high. He instructed the student pilot to add power; however, the student pilot reduced power and lowered the nose. The airplane landed hard and the CFI immediately took control of the airplane, bringing it to a stop on the runway. The CFI reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall during the accident sequence.
Factual narrative
The certificated flight instructor (CFI) reported that the student pilot was practicing short field procedures and had completed several uneventful landings. As they approached the runway, the CFI noted that the student had leveled the airplane too high. He instructed the student pilot to add power; however the student pilot reduced power and lowered the nose. Subsequently, the airplane landed hard. The CFI stated that he immediately took control of the airplane after touchdown, bringing it to a stop on the runway. The CFI reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall during the accident sequence.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N31FC
- Reported as
- Cessna 172
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 46140
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-300, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Noel Murphy
- Registered owner
- Exotic Feline Breeding Compound Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- WJF · Lancaster, CA
- Destination
- WJF · Lancaster, CA
- Airport
- WJF · General Wm J Fox Airfield, runway 24, 7,201 × 150 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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 72
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine sea, Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 25, 2010
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 18,000 total · 500 in this make and model · 60 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 63
- Injuries
- None
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 120 total · 50 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dawn
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 23 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.21 inHg
- Observed at
- WJF
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 3, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.3 MB 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.