N462ER

Substantial
None

Cessna 172SPS/N: 172S10282

Accident Details

Date
Saturday, May 5, 2007
NTSB Number
NYC07CA112
Location
Daytona Beach, FL
Event ID
20070615X00738
Coordinates
29.179721, -81.057777
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
None
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
0
Uninjured
1
Total Aboard
1

Probable Cause and Findings

The pilot's improper flare at night, which resulted in a hard landing. A factor in the accident was the pilot's lack of recent night experience.

Aircraft Information

Registration
N462ER
Make
CESSNA
Serial Number
172S10282
Engine Type
Reciprocating
Model / ICAO
172SPC172
Aircraft Type
Fixed Wing Single Engine
No. of Engines
1

Analysis

According to the private pilot, as she approached to land on the runway at the large, well lit, international airport, the Cessna 172SP was "a little high, a little fast, and I flared higher than usual." The airplane landed hard, bounced, and collapsed the nose landing gear, which resulted in substantial damage. According to the pilot, it was her first night solo flight at this airport, and the purpose of the flight was preparation for an additional rating. A review of her logbook revealed that she had accumulated 160 total hours of flight experience, of which 22 hours were at night. She had performed only one night landing with an instructor 2 nights before the accident flight, and the most recent night landing before the instructional flight was 64 days prior.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# NYC07CA112