CESSNA 172R
Hampton, VA — April 30, 2010
Event Information
| Date | April 30, 2010 |
| Event Type | ACC |
| NTSB Number | ERA10CA512 |
| Event ID | 20101019X25549 |
| Location | Hampton, VA |
| Country | USA |
| Coordinates | 37.07639, -76.35639 |
| Airport | Langley Air Force Base |
| Highest Injury | NONE |
Aircraft
| Make | CESSNA |
| Model | 172R |
| Category | AIR |
| FAR Part | 091 |
| Aircraft Damage | SUBS |
Conditions
| Light Condition | DAYL |
| Weather | VMC |
Injuries
| Fatal | 0 |
| Serious | 0 |
| Minor | 0 |
| None | 1 |
| Total Injured | 0 |
Event Location
Probable Cause
The student pilot's inadequate landing flare and improper recovery from a bounced landing. Contributing to the accident was the student’s decision to land with a tailwind.
Full Narrative
The student pilot was landing at his home airport at the conclusion of a solo cross-country flight. He stated that when he contacted the air traffic control tower he was offered the option of runway 8 or 26. He chose to land on runway 8, which, "...had more of a tailwind at the time" and that in hindsight he "...should have taken the headwind instead." During the landing flare, the airplane "porpoised," and the nose landing gear impacted the runway, resulting in substantial damage to the engine firewall. The student pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies of the airplane. Winds, recorded at the airport about the time of the accident, were from 230 degrees true at 11 knots.
About This NTSB Record
This aviation event was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). NTSB investigates all U.S. civil aviation accidents to determine probable cause and issue safety recommendations to prevent future accidents.