Cessna 172P N97984

Summary

On 19 April 2001 at about 16:04 local time, a Cessna 172P registered N97984, operated by Richard Seals, was involved in an accident near Torrance, California, United States. One person was 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

19 April 2001 at 16:04

Classification

Accident

Location

Torrance, California, United States

Nearest airport

Torrance Municipal Airport (TOA)

Coordinates

33.8004, -118.3491

Aircraft

Cessna 172P

Registration

N97984

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Richard Seals

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Torrance → Torrance

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX01LA150

Nobody was injured.

The failure of the pilot-in-command to execute a proper landing flare, which resulted in an improper touchdown attitude and a subsequent loss of directional control. A factor in the accident was the difference between landing characteristics of the Katana and the Cessna 172, and the resulting habit interference for the pilot.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During a touch-and-go landing, the aircraft veered off the runway, encountered soft terrain, and nosed over. No skid marks were found leading to the accident site. The tires were examined and no flat spots were observed. The airplane was uprighted and rolled to see if there was any resistance from the brakes. None was noted. The brakes were inspected and operated with no defects observed. The wind was calm at the time of the accident. The pilot received his private certificate on April 4, 2001, and had approximately 78 hours total time when the accident occurred. All of the pilot's primary flight training experience was accrued in the Katana DA-20 airplane. After obtaining his private pilot certificate, the pilot received 3.7 hours of flight instruction in the Cessna 172, and had logged an additional 2.4 hours of flight time prior to the accident. A flight instructor from the same flight school flew with the pilot in another Cessna 172 the day after the accident. He stated that the pilot had a tendency to land very flat, with no flare. The instructor was experienced in both the Katana DA-20 and the Cessna 172. He stated that the landing characteristics of the Katana require little or no flare by the pilot. In contrast, the Cessna 172 requires a considerable amount of flare to achieve a proper touchdown attitude. Since the pilot had received all of his primary training in a Katana, his tendency in any airplane would be to land it like a Katana. In the event of a nose first landing, the airplane will "wheel barrow" and can become nearly impossible to control. This landing condition can easily result in a rapid and uncontrollable change in direction on the runway.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.