# NTSB WPR14CA351: Cessna 172S, N10033, Santa Ynez, CA, August 16, 2014 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: August 16, 2014, 16:00 local (23:00 UTC) - Place: Santa Ynez, CA - Coordinates: 34.639415, -120.020782 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.6394&lon=-120.0208&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: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 27, 2014 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 89928 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR14CA351 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/89928/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89928 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR14CA351 ## Probable cause The student pilot's inadequate flare and loss of aircraft control during landing, which resulted in multiple bounces. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [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) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 206 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072439), [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: 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) ## Analysis The student pilot was conducting his final required solo cross-country flight. The flight to the first destination was uneventful, and the pilot entered the left-hand traffic pattern for the runway at the non-towered airport. The pilot reported that his base-to-final turn was slightly "wide," which placed the airplane to the right of the extended runway centerline. He also reported that he was "a little high" on the final approach. He corrected his flight path, and was satisfied that the airplane was positioned for a normal landing. The pilot used full flaps for this landing, as was his normal habit pattern. The airplane landed slightly beyond where the pilot had planned, but not far enough down the runway to cause him any concern. The touchdown was "hard," the airplane bounced, and the pilot "re-flared" to correct the situation. The airplane began "porpoising" and bounced at least two more times before the pilot was able to regain control and keep it on the ground. During the bounces, the pilot did not adjust the power or consider aborting the landing attempt. Although he had learned about porpoising in his ground training, he had never experienced it prior to this event, and did not immediately recall or implement the flight school's recommended corrective action, which was a go-around. The pilot taxied the airplane to a parking spot, and discovered that the airplane was substantially damaged. The firewall, cockpit floor, and several fuselage skins were buckled, and elevator travel was restricted. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative The student pilot was conducting his final required solo cross-country flight. The flight to the first destination was uneventful, and the pilot entered the left-hand traffic pattern for the runway at the non-towered airport. The pilot reported that his base-to-final turn was slightly "wide," which placed the airplane to the right of the extended runway centerline. He also reported that he was "a little high" on the final approach. He corrected his flight path, and was satisfied that the airplane was positioned for a normal landing. The pilot used full flaps for this landing, as was his normal habit pattern. The airplane landed slightly beyond where the pilot had planned, but not far enough down the runway to cause him any concern. The touchdown was "hard," the airplane bounced, and the pilot "re-flared" to correct the situation. The airplane began "porpoising" and bounced at least two more times before the pilot was able to regain control and keep it on the ground. During the bounces, the pilot did not adjust the power or consider aborting the landing attempt. Although he had learned about porpoising in his ground training, he had never experienced it prior to this event, and did not immediately recall or implement the flight school's recommended corrective action, which was a go-around. The pilot taxied the airplane to a parking spot, and discovered that the airplane was substantially damaged. The firewall, cockpit floor, and several fuselage skins were buckled, and elevator travel was restricted. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N10033](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N10033), registered now, S/N 172S9797 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172S - Registry model: [Cessna 172S](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s) (registry code 2072439) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-360-L2A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-l2a) (registry code 41597, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 172S9797 - Year built: 2005 - Airframe hours: 3637 - Engines: LYCOMING IO-360-L2A reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Channel Islands Aviation - Registered owner: Adventure Air - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, August 8, 2014, 14 hours before - Departed: CMR, Camarillo, CA - Destination: IZA, Santa Ynez, CA - Airport: IZA, Santa Ynez, runway 26, 2,803 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 59; injuries: none; student; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 99 total, 99 in this make and model, 10 as pilot in command, 25 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 260° at 13 knots, gusting 16 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 90 °F, dew point 50 °F - Altimeter: 29.96 inHg - Observed at: iza ## 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 20140816015549A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140816015549A), Aug 16, 2014: Cessna 172S, Santa Ynez, CA, Substantial damage. On approach to landing on runway 26 the pilot was too high and was going too fast. A land attempt was still made, which resulted in a hard landing. The… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 16, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89928. 2.5 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40417744&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Record of Conversation - Chief Pilot (item 2, .PDF, 67 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40417745&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20Chief%20Pilot-Master.PDF - METARs (item 3, .PDF, 181 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40417746&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=METARs-Master.PDF - Photo 1 - Firewall Damage (Photo Courtesy of Operator) (item 4, .PDF, 548 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40417747&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%20-%20Firewall%20Damage%20(Photo%20Courtesy%20of%20Operator)-Master.PDF - Photo 2 - Cockpit Floor Damage (Photo Courtesy of Operator) (item 5, .PDF, 494 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40417748&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202%20-%20Cockpit%20Floor%20Damage%20(Photo%20Courtesy%20of%20Operator)-Master.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.