N5460K

Substantial
None

CESSNA 172PS/N: 17274126

Accident Details

Date
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
NTSB Number
ERA11CA283
Location
Fort Pierce, FL
Event ID
20110505X62208
Coordinates
27.491666, -80.370277
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
None
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
0
Uninjured
1
Total Aboard
1

Probable Cause and Findings

The student pilot's improper flare, which resulted in a hard landing.

Aircraft Information

Registration
N5460K
Make
CESSNA
Serial Number
17274126
Engine Type
Reciprocating
Year Built
1980
Model / ICAO
172PC172
Aircraft Type
Fixed Wing Single Engine
No. of Engines
1

Registered Owner (Historical)

Name
ARI BEN AVIATOR INC
Address
3800 SAINT LUCIE BLVD
Status
Deregistered
City
FORT PIERCE
State / Zip Code
FL 34946-9022
Country
United States

Analysis

According to the student pilot, during his third solo flight, the airplane was stable on the final leg of the traffic pattern. He increased the pitch of the airplane and began to flare when the stall warning horn sounded. The student pilot then released the back pressure on the yoke to decrease pitch, the airplane impacted the runway, and the nose wheel "bounced heavily." After the airplane bounced heavily, the nosewheel buckled and the right rudder pedal jammed to the right. The airplane then veered off to the right side of the runway, coming to rest in a grass apron. During the accident sequence, the airplane incurred substantial damage to the firewall. During a subsequent examination of the wreckage, a Federal Aviation Administration inspector found no preexisting anomalies of the airplane, nor did the student pilot report any.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA11CA283