N3875Q

On March 10, 2000, about 1130 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172L, N3875Q, registered to a private individual, experienced a hard landing at the Michael J. Smith Field Airport, Beaufort, North Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. The airplane was substantially damaged and the private-rated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated about 36 minutes earlier.

The registered owner failed to report the accident to the NTSB or the FAA. According to the FAA inspector who reported the accident to the NTSB on July 12, 2000, during routine surveillance on June 15, 2000, at the facility where the airplane was being repaired, he observed the airplane in the hangar and inquired about the damage.

The pilot did not return the NTSB 6120.1/2 Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report form; the registered owner completed information on the form applicable to the airplane. Several attempts were made to the talk with the pilot but were unsuccessful. According to a transcription of recorded statement provided by the insurance adjuster who interviewed the pilot, the pilot stated that no discrepancies were noted during the preflight or engine run-up before takeoff. He stated that after departure the flight remained in the airport traffic pattern where he performed touch-and-go landings. During the flare of the accident landing, the flight was fast and the airplane began to porpoise resulting in a propeller strike. He further stated that he should have initiated a go-around but "at the time I never experienced the porpoising during the flare. It happened so quickly that I didn't even finish it."

Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed the firewall and propeller were damaged.