# NTSB WPR12CA346: Cessna 208, N9727F, Chula Vista, CA, August 6, 2012 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: August 6, 2012, 09:30 local (16:30 UTC) - Place: Chula Vista, CA - Coordinates: 32.633056, -116.893058 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.6331&lon=-116.8931&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 9, 2012 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 84590 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR12CA346 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/84590/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=84590 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12CA346 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to arrest the aircraft's sink rate on short final, which resulted in a hard landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: descent rate](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062037): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 242 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062037/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot said that, while on short final, the airplane experienced a sudden sink rate when the wind changed from a head wind to calm conditions. He was unable to arrest the sink rate even after power was applied because of the lag time for the airplane’s turbine engine to spool up. The airplane landed hard short of the runway. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the left side of the fuselage was dented and wrinkled, and the left main landing gear was bent inboard of the axle and was missing its brake assembly. ## Factual narrative The pilot said that while on short final, the airplane experienced a sudden sink rate when the wind went from a head wind to calm conditions. He was unable to arrest the sink rate even after power was applied because of the lag time for the airplane’s turbine engine to spool up. The airplane landed hard, short of the runway. After taxiing to the ramp, examination of the airplane revealed that the left side of the fuselage was dented and wrinkled, and the left main gear was found bent inboard of the axle and its brake assembly was missing. ## Aircraft - Registration: N9727F (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 208 - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 20800151 - Airframe hours: 12990 - Engines: P&W PT6A SER 750 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Skydiving, Part 91 - Operator: Tactical Air Operations Inc, doing business as Skydive San Diego - Registered owner: Tactical Air Operations Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, June 29, 2012 - Departed: 0CL3, Chula vista, CA - Destination: 0CL3, Chula vista, CA - Airport: 0CL3, John Nichol's Field Airport, runway 27, 2,400 × 50 ft, dirt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 50; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review June 16, 2011; seat: left; flight hours: 4,650 total, 800 in this make and model, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 5 knots - Visibility: 7 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 20,000 ft broken - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 63 °F - Altimeter: 29.98 inHg - Observed at: NRS, 12 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20120806016479A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120806016479A), Aug 6, 2012: Cessna 208, Chula Vista, CA, Substantial damage. Aircraft entered a short final using a slide slip to the right to maneuver around terrain and to bleed off airspeed which was 15 knots above approach speed at… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 14, 2012, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=84590. 565 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 565 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40375326&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.