Pilot Debrief

CESSNA 172S near Duluth, MN — 2009-09-07

Final reportCEN09LA586
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Date
2009-09-07
Location
Duluth, MN, USA
Aircraft
CESSNA 172S
Registration
N568ND
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Taxi

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during landing, resulting in a hard landing and a propeller strike with the ground.

NTSB narrative

During a solo cross-country flight, the private pilot landed and shut down the airplane at two airports before returning to the initial airport of departure. During refueling after the end of the entire cross-country flight, a lineman noticed that the propeller tip was bent aft. He notified dispatch immediately, and dispatch reported that the damage had not been reported by anyone. During the maintenance turnaround of the airplane, the engine firewall was also found to be damaged. The private pilot was contacted later and indicated that all three landings of the cross-country flight were normal, and he did not know when the damage occurred. However, he reported that he ballooned during the first landing. He also reported that prior to departing from the second airport, he taxied over a rough area and heard a "bing." He reported feeling a vibration in the airplane during the final leg of the cross-country flight. An instructor pilot who had flown in the airplane prior to the solo cross-country flight stated that he was confident that no hard landing damage had occurred on that previous instruction flight. The damage to the firewall and the propeller is consistent with a hard landing during one of the legs of the solo cross-country flight.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Mechanical failure
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have inspected the propeller after landing at DLH.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 4 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents4

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