Pilot Debrief

CESSNA 172P near Fort Pierce, FL — 2011-05-03

Final reportERA11CA283
Sign in to save
Date
2011-05-03
Location
Fort Pierce, FL, USA
Airport
FPR
Aircraft
CESSNA 172P
Registration
N5460K
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0

Probable cause

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

NTSB narrative

According to the student pilot, who was on his third solo flight, the airplane was stable on the final leg of the traffic pattern. He increased the pitch of the airplane and began to flare when the stall warning horn sounded. The student pilot then released the back pressure on the yoke to decrease pitch before the airplane impacted the runway, causing the nosewheel to bounce and buckle and the right rudder pedal to jam to the right. The airplane then veered off the right side of the runway, coming to rest in a grass apron. During the accident sequence the airplane incurred substantial damage to the firewall. During a subsequent examination of the wreckage, a Federal Aviation Administration inspector found no preexisting anomalies with the airplane, nor did the student pilot report any.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

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

Docket documents4

Related mishaps