N427ES

On November 12, 1999, approximately 1130 mountain standard time, a Cessna 172R, N427ES, operated by Great Western Aviation, was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain during landing at Logan-Cache Airport, Logan, Utah. The student pilot, the sole occupant aboard, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a VFR flight plan had been filed for the training flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated at Pocatello, Idaho, approximately 0955.

The pilot was on his first solo cross-country flight. He departed Logan at 0900 and arrived at Pocatello without incident at 0950. The pilot made one touch and go landing, then departed at 0955 for the return flight to Logan. The accident occurred during landing on the return leg.

The pilot said he entered the traffic pattern at 5,300 feet msl (above mean sea level) for runway 35. He reduced speed to 80 KIAS (knots indicated airspeed), deployed 10 degrees of flaps, and began a 500 fpm (feet per minute) descent. On base leg, he further reduced speed to 70 KIAS and deployed 20 degrees of flaps. The descent rate remained the same. He turned final, maintained 70 KIAS, and deployed 30 degrees of flaps. When the airplane touched down, it began to bounce. The first bounce was not hard, but the severity of the bounces increased. On the third bounce, the nose wheel collapsed and the airplane skidded off the right side of the runway.

A pilot-witness following the accident airplane said it appeared the airplane was "high, fast, and steep" on the approach. Flaps appeared to be "all the way down," and the airplane did not appear to flare. He then saw the airplane spin around and come to a halt, facing the opposite direction.

Postaccident examination revealed the nose landing gear was sheared off, the firewall was buckled, the tailcone was bent, and the horizontal stabilizer skin was wrinkled.