N3537B

On July 19, 2005, at 1115 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172S, N3537B, was substantially damaged during a hard landing at the Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport (CHO), Charlottesville, Virginia. The student pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that originated at the Manassas Regional Airport (HEF), Manassas, Virginia, about 0930. No flight plan was filed for the solo instructional flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

In a telephone interview, the pilot said that the flight to Charlottesville was uneventful, and that the airplane performed "beautifully" during the flight. As he approached the airport, the pilot configured the airplane for landing on runway 21. The pilot completed the approach, and began the landing flare over the runway. According to the pilot, " I started the flare too early, [and] I was too high." He further explained that the airplane stalled, and landed hard on the runway.

When asked specifically about the performance and handling of the airplane, the pilot responded, "The airplane was fine."