# NTSB WPR21LA153: Cessna 172, N7616X, Sand Point, ID, April 3, 2021 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: April 3, 2021, 11:22 local (18:22 UTC) - Place: Sand Point, ID - Coordinates: 48.299528, -116.56013 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=48.2995&lon=-116.5601&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 102859 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR21LA153 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/102859/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102859 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR21LA153 ## Probable cause The student pilot’s improper landing flare which resulted in a hard landing, loss of directional control and subsequent nose over. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [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 172B, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072406), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172B, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=2072406), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/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 172B, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=2072406), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/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: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172B, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=2072406), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [Cessna 172B, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=2072406), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md) ## Analysis The student pilot reported that he was flying his first solo flight and had just performed an uneventful touch-and-go landing. During the second landing flare, the airplane floated along the runway, then landed hard. The airplane then veered left, departed the runway, and nosed over in the adjacent grass area. The fuselage was substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7616X](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7616X-2023-03-10), registration cancelled 2023-03-10, S/N 17248116, built 1960 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172 (B) - Registry model: [Cessna 172B](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172b) (registry code 2072406) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-300 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-300-series) (registry code 17022, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17248116 - Year built: 1960 - Airframe hours: 5902.31 - Engines: CONT MOTOR O-300B 145 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, January 12, 2021, 10 hours before - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: SZT, Sandpoint, runway 02/20, 5,501 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: None ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 36; injuries: minor; student; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 38.5 total, 32.4 in this make and model, 10.8 in the last 90 days, 9.9 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Temperature: 48 °F, dew point 32 °F - Altimeter: 30.12 inHg - Observed at: SZT, 0.5 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 20210403003719A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210403003719A), Apr 3, 2021: Cessna 172B, Sandpoint, ID, Substantial damage. Student pilot first solo, second landing. Aircfaft bounced slightly then landed. On rollout, the aircraft veered to the left and departed the runway. The nose… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 1, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102859. 7.1 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 1.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12233466&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=r_6120_1-Fillable-complete_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Maintenance logbook excerpts (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 246 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12233858&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=r_Logbook%20Excerpts_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photo - airplane at accident site (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 1 photo, 1.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12618781&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%201-Rel.pdf - Video of accident - courtesy of jamie dockins (item 4, MP4, 3.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12233514&FileExtension=mp4&FileName=vlc-record-2021-05-04-10h28m48s-ouo-20210403_182056000_iOS.mov--Rel.mp4 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.