Hard Landing: Cessna 172S Skyhawk, N173ME; accident occurred July 05, 2020 at Prattville Airport (1A9), Autauga County, Alabama

Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board

The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident. 

Additional Participating Entity: 

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Birmingham, Alabama

Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board:

https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket 

Box Aviation Inc

https://registry.faa.gov/N173ME

Location: Prattville, Alabama

Accident Number: ERA20CA263

Date & Time: July 5, 2020, 12:00 Local

Registration: N173ME

Aircraft: Cessna 172 

Aircraft Damage: Substantial

Defining Event: Hard landing 

Injuries: 1 None

Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Instructional

Analysis

The solo student pilot had not flown recently and reported that he planned to complete a refresher flight. During the first landing of the flight, on the final approach, the airplane's glide path was "too high and too steep," and he flared the airplane too late. The airplane then landed nosewheel first and bounced twice. The pilot aborted the landing, landed again, then returned to his home airport. Postaccident examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the fuselage was substantially damaged. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Probable Cause and Findings

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:

The student pilot's failure improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing.

Findings

Aircraft Descent/approach/glide path - Not specified

Personnel issues Aircraft control - Student/instructed pilot

Aircraft Landing flare - Not attained/maintained

Factual Information

History of Flight

Landing Hard landing (Defining event)

Student pilot Information

Certificate: Student

Age: 56, Male

Airplane Rating(s): None 

Seat Occupied: Left

Other Aircraft Rating(s): None

Restraint Used: 3-point

Instrument Rating(s): None

Second Pilot Present: No

Instructor Rating(s): None 

Toxicology Performed: No

Medical Certification: Class 3 With waivers/limitations 

Last FAA Medical Exam: January 28, 2020

Occupational Pilot: No

Last Flight Review or Equivalent:

Flight Time: 18.5 hours (Total, all aircraft), 18.5 hours (Total, this make and model), 3 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 5.9 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 3.7 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 0 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Cessna

Registration: N173ME

Model/Series: 172 S

Aircraft Category: Airplane

Year of Manufacture: 2000 

Amateur Built: No

Airworthiness Certificate: Normal; Utility 

Serial Number: 172S8455

Landing Gear Type: Tricycle

Seats: 4

Date/Type of Last Inspection: May 20, 2020 100 hour

Certified Max Gross Wt.: 2299 lbs

Time Since Last Inspection: 101 Hrs 

Engines: 1 Reciprocating

Airframe Total Time: 9681.1 Hrs at time of accident

Engine Manufacturer: Lycoming

ELT: C91A installed, not activated

Engine Model/Series: IO360 L2A

Registered Owner: 

Rated Power: 180 Horsepower

Operator:

Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual (VMC)

Condition of Light: Day

Observation Facility, Elevation: 1A9,225 ft msl

Distance from Accident Site: 0 Nautical Miles

Observation Time: 11:15 Local

Direction from Accident Site: 110°

Lowest Cloud Condition: Scattered / 3000 ft AGL

Visibility 10 miles

Lowest Ceiling: 

Visibility (RVR):

Wind Speed/Gusts: 4 knots / 

Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: None / None

Wind Direction: 90° 

Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: N/A / N/A

Altimeter Setting: 29.93 inches Hg 

Temperature/Dew Point: 31°C / 23°C

Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation

Departure Point: Montgomery, AL (MGM) 

Type of Flight Plan Filed: None

Destination: Prattville, AL (1A9) 

Type of Clearance: None

Departure Time: 11:00 Local

Type of Airspace: Class E

Airport Information

Airport: Prattville - Grouby Field 1A9 

Runway Surface Type: Asphalt

Airport Elevation: 224 ft msl

Runway Surface Condition: Dry

Runway Used: 09

IFR Approach: None

Runway Length/Width: 5400 ft / 100 ft

VFR Approach/Landing: Go around; Traffic pattern

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 None

Aircraft Damage: Substantial

Passenger Injuries:

Aircraft Fire: None

Ground Injuries: N/A

Aircraft Explosion: None

Total Injuries: 1 None

Latitude, Longitude: 32.43861,-86.517776(est)