N65813

Substantial
Minor

CESSNA 172PS/N: 17275896

Accident Details

Date
Thursday, April 30, 2015
NTSB Number
GAA15CA063
Location
Los Angeles, CA
Event ID
20150507X15611
Coordinates
34.261943, -118.416114
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
Minor
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
1
Uninjured
0
Total Aboard
1

Probable Cause and Findings

The student pilot's failure to maintain attitude control during the landing flare, resulting in a hard landing.

Aircraft Information

Registration
Make
CESSNA
Serial Number
17275896
Engine Type
Reciprocating
Year Built
1983
Model / ICAO
172PC172
Aircraft Type
Fixed Wing Single Engine
No. of Engines
1
Seats
4
FAA Model
172P

Registered Owner (Current)

Name
NORTHWEST WINGS LLC
Address
12000 SW RIVER RD
City
HILLSBORO
State / Zip Code
OR 97123-9314
Country
United States

Analysis

On the student pilot's first supervised solo flight; she reported that on her first landing the airplane porpoised three times and then came to a full stop. She taxied back to the departure end of the runway for a second takeoff. On her second landing the airplane porpoised four times, she taxied back to her flight school without further incident. As a result of the hard landing and subsequent porpoise, the flight instructor conducted a postaccident examination of the engine and airframe, and substantial damage to the firewall was discovered.

The student pilot reported there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# GAA15CA063