N1431F – CESSNA 172H – 2012-10-20 NTSB Accident Report

On October 20, 2012, a Cessna 172H (N1431F) was involved in an incident near Weyers Cave, VA. All 1 person aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The student pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing.

The student pilot reported that she landed after completing her first solo cross-country flight without incident. She then elected to takeoff to practice takeoffs and landings in the airport traffic pattern. During the subsequent landing, the airplane touched down hard and bounced before coming to rest on the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall, and skin deformation just forward of the pilot’s side door. The student pilot reported that she did not experience any mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

This incident is documented in NTSB report ERA13CA038. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N1431F.