Summary
On June 30, 2016, a Cessna U206 (N9304R) was involved in an incident near Ely, NV. All 3 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The flight instructor's incorrect pitch control during the landing flare, which resulted in a tail strike.
The flight instructor reported that during a public-use flight in a single-engine airplane, he was providing instruction to an airline transport pilot who was only rated for multi-engine airplanes. The flight instructor further reported that the pilot receiving instruction was the pilot flying and was "fast" on final approach. During the landing flare, the airplane ballooned and bounced once. After the bounce, the flight instructor applied aft flight control pressure because he believed the airplane was going to touch down nose wheel first. The subsequent landing roll was completed without further incident.
After loading additional passengers, the flight instructor completed the return flight to their domicile without further incident.
This incident is documented in NTSB report GAA16CA362. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N9304R.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The flight instructor's incorrect pitch control during the landing flare, which resulted in a tail strike.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
The flight instructor reported that during a public-use flight in a single-engine airplane, he was providing instruction to an airline transport pilot who was only rated for multi-engine airplanes. The flight instructor further reported that the pilot receiving instruction was the pilot flying and was "fast" on final approach. During the landing flare, the airplane ballooned and bounced once. After the bounce, the flight instructor applied aft flight control pressure because he believed the airplane was going to touch down nose wheel first. The subsequent landing roll was completed without further incident.
After loading additional passengers, the flight instructor completed the return flight to their domicile without further incident. During a post-flight inspection damage was found to the tail hook and aft fuselage area.
Further inspection revealed that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the aft bulkhead, which was likely the result of a tail strike during the bounced landing during the previous flight. The flight instructor reported that he did not hear the tail strike during the bounced landing and he did not inspect the empennage before departing for the terminating destination.
The flight instructor did not report any mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane 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# GAA16CA362