Pilot Debrief

CESSNA 172K near Napa, CA — 2011-11-28

Final reportWPR12CA049
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Date
2011-11-28
Location
Napa, CA, USA
Airport
APC
Aircraft
CESSNA 172K
Registration
N7952A
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0

Probable cause

The student pilot's improper landing flare, inadequate recovery from a bounced landing, and loss of directional control.

NTSB narrative

The student pilot stated that this was his fourth solo flight and that he had accumulated about 2 hours of solo flying experience. He flew to a nearby airport for practice touch-and-go landings and takeoffs and was planning a standard rectangular pattern. As he approached the airfield, a tower air traffic controller instructed him to perform a straight-in approach. This was the student pilot’s first attempt at a straight-in landing, and he had difficulty stabilizing the airplane’s flight path before touchdown. The airplane landed hard, bounced, and departed the left side of the runway. The airplane rolled into muddy terrain, bending the nose wheel landing gear mounting structure and the engine firewall. The pilot did not report any mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 1 docket document
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents1

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