- Date
- September 21, 2014, 14:38 local (21:38 UTC)
- Place
- Bellingham, WA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N6035SCessna E162
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 13, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20140921018139A
- Case key
- 90148
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 flare and failure to maintain aircraft control during 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 student pilot planned to conduct a solo cross-country flight to another towered airport. His preflight inspection, engine start and runup, takeoff, and flight of the special light-sport airplane were all uneventful. When he neared the destination airport, he was instructed to enter the traffic pattern on the downwind leg for runway 16. He was subsequently cleared for "closed traffic" pattern work, and instructed to follow another airplane. The pilot informed the air traffic controller that he intended to do a full stop landing, and shortly thereafter, was instructed to turn base leg. He selected full flaps (40 degrees) for landing after turning final. According to the pilot, the wind was from 180 degrees at 7 knots, and the airplane was "just a little" to the right of the centerline for part of the last segment of the final approach. The pilot flared for landing, and the airplane touched down on the main gear, but then "ballooned" back airborne. The airplane bounced again, and then on the third bounce, the nose landing gear failed. The airplane slid to a stop on the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage structure. During the bounce sequence, the pilot only used the control wheel to attempt to control and stop the bounces; he did not vary the throttle setting. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The student pilot planned to conduct a solo cross-country flight to another towered airport. His preflight inspection, engine start and runup, takeoff, and flight of the special light-sport airplane were all uneventful. When he neared the destination airport, he was instructed to enter the traffic pattern on the downwind leg for runway 16. He was subsequently cleared for "closed traffic" pattern work, and instructed to follow another airplane. The pilot informed the air traffic controller that he intended to do a full stop landing, and shortly thereafter, was instructed to turn base leg. He selected full flaps (40 degrees) for landing after turning final. According to the pilot, the wind was from 180 degrees at 7 knots, and the airplane was "just a little" to the right of the centerline for part of the last segment of the final approach. The pilot flared for landing, and the airplane touched down on the main gear, but then "ballooned" back airborne. The airplane bounced again, and then on the third bounce, the nose landing gear failed. The airplane slid to a stop on the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage structure. During the bounce sequence, the pilot only used the control wheel to attempt to control and stop the bounces; he did not vary the throttle setting. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6035S
- Reported as
- Cessna E162 (UNDESIGNAT)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 16200155
- Built
- 2011
- Airframe hours
- 1,384
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-200, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Rainier Flight Service LLC
- Registered owner
- Rainier Flight Service LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Special light-sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · September 8, 2014 · 37 hours before
- Departed
- KRNT · Renton, WA
- Destination
- KBLI · Bellingham, WA
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- KBLI · Bellingham Intl, runway 16, 6,701 × 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
- Student pilot
- Age
- 32
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 42 total · 42 in this make and model · 10 as pilot in command · 14 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.82 inHg
- Observed at
- BLI
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 12, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.6 MB 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.