# NTSB WPR12LA444: Cessna 172S, N320ME, Glendale, AZ, April 26, 2012 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 26, 2012, 13:30 local (20:30 UTC) - Place: Glendale, AZ - Coordinates: 33.526668, -112.294998 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.5267&lon=-112.2950&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 30, 2014 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 85559 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR12LA444 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/85559/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=85559 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12LA444 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate flare and compensation for gusting wind conditions, which resulted in a bounced landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 32 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 99 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md) - [Wind: gusts](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Response/compensation; cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 21 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 1,199 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/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: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 77 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 77 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that he was landing the airplane in gusting wind conditions and encountered windshear during the landing flare. After landing hard, the airplane bounced, and the pilot applied corrective actions; however, the airplane touched down a second time, on its nosewheel, which resulted in substantial damage to the firewall. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative On April 26, 2012, about 1330 mountain standard time, a Cessna 172S, N320ME, sustained substantial damage following a hard landing at the Glendale Municipal Airport, Glendale, Arizona. The commercial pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was registered to Air Safety Ventures, and operated by the pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) local personal flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the flight that originated from Glendale at 1155. The pilot was landing in gusting wind conditions and reported that he encountered a wind shear during the landing flare on runway 19. The airplane bounced and he applied corrective actions; however, the airplane touched down a second time, on its nose wheel, which resulted in substantial damage to the firewall. The wind conditions during the timeframe of the accident were from 200 degrees at 14 knots with gusts to 24 knots. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N320ME](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N320ME), registered now, S/N 172S8565, built 2000 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172S (S) - Registry model: [Cessna 172S](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s) (registry code 2072439) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 172S8565 - Year built: 2000 - Airframe hours: 5055 - Engines: LYCOMING IO-360 SER reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Call The Ball Aviation LLC - Registered owner: Call The Ball Aviation LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 5, 2012, 30 hours before - Departed: KGEU, Glendale, AZ - Destination: KGEU, Glendale, AZ - Airport: KGEU, Glendale Municipal Airport, runway 19, 7,150 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 34; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: left ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 200° at 14 knots, gusting 24 - Visibility: 20 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 12,000 ft broken - Temperature: 66 °F, dew point 52 °F - Altimeter: 29.95 inHg - Observed at: KGEU, 1 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 20120426024349A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120426024349A), Apr 26, 2012: Cessna 172S, Glendale, AZ, Substantial damage. 4/26/2012@1327, Pilot [privacy data omitted] experienced wind gusts / windshear during short final into Glendale airport while practicing manuevers, which… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 29, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=85559. 645 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 315 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40403465&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Pilot Statement (item 2, .PDF, 330 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40403466&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%20Statement-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.