Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The student pilot's improper flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
On March 27, 2003, at 1815 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172, N613SP, was substantially damaged during a landing at Cuyahoga County Airport (CFG), Cleveland, Ohio. The student pilot was not injured. No flight plan was filed for the local flight that originated about 1745. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the solo instructional flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
In a written statement, the student pilot said that he had too high of an airspeed on short final. He then flared high, and the airplane "dropped," and bounced three or four times on runway 05.
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector performed an examination of the airplane. The examination revealed that the firewall was wrinkled, and the propeller blade tips were damaged.
The student pilot reported a total of 25 flight hours, all of which, were in make and model. He also reported that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
Weather at the time of the accident was reported as winds from 090 degrees at 10 knots, visibility 7 statute miles, broken clouds at 15,000 feet and overcast clouds at 20,000 feet.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# IAD03CA044