N98885

On May 31, 2004, approximately 1520 central daylight time, a Cessna 172P single-engine airplane, N98885, registered to and operated by American Flyers, Incorporated of Addison, Texas, sustained substantial damage following a hard landing on Runway 35 at the Mesquite Metro Airport (HQZ), near Mesquite, Texas. The flight instructor and student pilot were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. The flight originated from Addison Airport (ADS), near Addison, Texas, approximately 1400 for private pilot training and to practice landings at HQZ.

According to the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2), the flight instructor reported that on final approach to Runway 35, the airspeed was at 65 knots and the student pilot was delaying the landing flare. The flight instructor allowed the student pilot to continue the landing because he expected the landing to "be flat and on all three wheels at the same time, then discuss the pros/cons of the approach to land during the taxi back." The instructor put his right hand on the yoke and started to add slight backpressure. At this time, the instructor's headset began to come off, preventing him from stating, "my controls;" however, he pulled harder on the yoke when he noticed the student pilot was applying opposite pressure. The instructor was unable to raise the nose, thus resulting in a nose wheel first landing.

After touchdown, the instructor grabbed the yoke with both hands and applied backpressure, and the airplane lifted off the ground. The instructor realized that something was wrong with the propeller, so he pulled the throttle and the mixture out and landed the airplane. As he lowered the nose, the airplane continued to nose-over. Runway 35 has a concrete surface, and was 5,999 feet long and 100 feet wide.

Examination of the wreckage by an Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed impact damage to the nose landing gear and the firewall buckled. Examination of the flight instructor's logbook revealed that he had accumulated a total time of 2,759 flight hours, 2,428 hours of which as a flight instructor.

Weather conditions at HQZ at 1505 were reported as winds from 090 degrees at 8 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, overcast skies at 5,000 feet, temperature 30 degrees Celsius, dew point 16 degrees Celsius, and an altimeter setting of 29.78 inches of mercury.