Cessna 172P N123FR

Summary

On 8 October 1999 at about 01:20 local time, a Cessna 172P registered N123FR, operated by South Bay Aviation, was involved in an accident near Torrance, California, United States. 3 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 October 1999 at 01:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Torrance, California, United States

Nearest airport

Torrance Zamperini Field (TOA)

Coordinates

33.8004, -118.3499

Aircraft

Cessna 172P

Registration

N123FR

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

South Bay Aviation

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX00LA012

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's excessive airspeed on final approach and his misjudged flare, which resulted in a uncontrolled porpoise and hard landing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

Controllers in the tower observed the airplane porpoise on each of the two prior touch-and-go landings. The pilot reported that on the third touch-and-go he realized he was too high and fast on final, but continued the approach anyway. The landing was hard and he then performed a go-around. He told the air traffic controller that he thought his nose wheel might be flat. The pilot made a full-stop landing and taxied to the flight school, where a damaged firewall and tailskid were found.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.