Pilot Debrief

CESSNA 208 near Plant City, FL — 2019-06-29

Final reportERA19TA211
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Date
2019-06-29
Location
Plant City, FL, USA
Airport
9FD2
Aircraft
CESSNA 208
Registration
N80JF
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Approach

Probable cause

The pilot's improper landing flare due to reduced visibility from a foggy windshield and his failure to use the airplane’s windshield defrost system, which resulted in a hard landing and subsequent nose landing gear collapse.

NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he was conducting skydiving operations and that the airplane was on final approach to the runway, about 80 ft above ground level and a "few feet before the threshold," when the airplane's windshield became "foggy" and he could not see the runway. He did not attempt to go around because the skydivers were in the area, and he did not want to hit them or trees surrounding the runway. Review of a witness video recording of the landing revealed that the airplane's nose landing gear contacted the runway first, followed by the main landing gear. The airplane bounced, and the nose landing gear impacted the runway again and then collapsed. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane was equipped with a defrost system for the forward cabin windshield. However, the system was likely not being used at the time of the accident.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Human factors
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted landing due to foggy windshield visibility.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Video
  • Photos
  • 5 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents5

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