Pilot Debrief

CESSNA 172 near Bluffton, OH — 2025-10-03

Final reportERA26LA016
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Date
2025-10-03
Location
Bluffton, OH, USA
Airport
5G7
Aircraft
CESSNA 172
Registration
N64203
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0

Probable cause

The pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing.

NTSB narrative

The student pilot was practicing solo takeoffs and landings in the airport traffic pattern. During the landing flare of her second traffic pattern circuit, the pilot attempted a landing flare, but instead of holding the airplane’s nosewheel above the runway, she allowed the nose wheel to contact the runway. The pilot then pulled back on the yoke in order to soften the landing, but the airplane climbed and again contacted the runway with the nosewheel first two more times before the airplane came to a stop on the runway. The airplane’s fuselage was substantially damaged during the accident sequence. The pilot stated that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 3 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents3

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