- Date
- July 5, 2012, 18:00 local (Jul 6, 2012, 01:00 UTC)
- Place
- Flagstaff, AZ
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N5209PCessna T182T
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 4, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20120705011679A
- Case key
- 84246
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 inadequate landing flare after encountering a downdraft, which resulted in a hard 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 pilot stated that he configured the airplane for landing, and, during the approach to the runway, he encountered a downdraft. The airplane touched down hard and bounced. After bouncing down the runway twice, the pilot decided to abort the landing and maneuvered the airplane back into the traffic pattern for the same runway. He landed without incident, and, upon egressing the airplane, he noted that the propeller had struck the runway on his first landing attempt. The airplane sustained damage to the firewall. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. An aviation routine weather report (METAR) for the airport around the time of the accident recorded a right quartering headwind at 13 knots, gusting to 19 knots.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that he configured the airplane for landing, and during the approach to the runway, he encountered a downdraft. The airplane touched down hard and bounced airborne. After bouncing down the runway twice, the pilot decided to abort the landing and maneuvered the airplane back into the traffic pattern for the same runway. He landed without incident and upon egressing the airplane, he noted that the propeller had struck the runway on his first landing attempt. The airplane sustained damage to the firewall. The pilot reported that there were no pre impact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. An aviation routine weather report (METAR) for the airport around the time of the accident recorded a right quartering headwind at 13 knots, gusting to 19 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5209P
- Reported as
- Cessna T182T
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- T18208156
- Engine
- Lycoming TIO-540 SER, 310 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- AVQ · Marana, AZ
- Destination
- FLG · Flagstaff, AZ
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- FLG · Flagstaff Pulliam Airport, runway 21, 8,800 × 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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 69
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Flight hours
- 340 total · 247 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 13 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.20 inHg
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 2, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 493 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.