- Date
- July 28, 2012, 10:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- Grand Canyon, AZ
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N8100BCessna 172
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 5, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20120728016689A
- Case key
- 84514
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.
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 upon entering the airport traffic pattern, he remained at a higher altitude than normal on the downwind and base legs due to helicopter traffic. Upon turning onto the final leg, the approach angle to the runway was steeper than normal and the airplane was still high. He stated that due to the steeper approach angle, he misjudged the landing flare; the airplane landed hard, bounced, and began to porpoise. As the pilot attempted to abort the landing, the airplane veered to the right and landed in the dirt adjacent to the runway where the airplane nosed over and sustained structural damage to both wings, the vertical stabilizer, and the rudder. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that upon entering the airport traffic pattern, he remained at a higher altitude than normal on downwind and base legs due to helicopter traffic. Upon turning final, the approach angle to the runway was steeper than normal, and the airplane was still high. The pilot stated that due to the steeper approach angle he misjudged the landing flare; the airplane landed hard, bounced, and began to porpoise. As he attempted to abort the landing, the airplane veered to the right and landed in the dirt adjacent to the runway. Subsequently, the airplane nosed over, which resulted in structural damage to both wings, vertical stabilizer, and rudder. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8100B
- Reported as
- Cessna 172
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 29900
- Airframe hours
- 2,588
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-300, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 14, 2012 · 28 hours before
- Departed
- FLG · Flagstaff, AZ
- Destination
- GCN · Grand Canyon, AZ
- Airport
- GCN · Grand Canyon National Park, runway 21, 8,999 × 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
- 52
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 19, 2011
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 145 total · 123 in this make and model · 62 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.34 inHg
- Observed at
- gcn
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 4, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 705 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.