Cessna 172S N787WW

Summary

On 10 July 2003 at about 15:00 local time, a Cessna 172S registered N787WW, operated by Westwind Aviation, was involved in an accident near Phoenix, Arizona, 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

10 July 2003 at 15:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Phoenix, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Deer Valley (KDVT)

Coordinates

33.6883, -112.0825

Aircraft

Cessna 172S

Registration

N787WW

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Westwind Aviation

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Phoenix → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX03CA248

Nobody was injured.

The student's misjudged landing flare and inadvertent entry into a porpoise pilot-induced oscillation.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane porpoised during landing. As a result, the firewall and engine mounts were bent. The student reported that he had been practicing maneuvers in the practice area and was returning to the airport to land. He extended his downwind leg due to traffic in the pattern and entered final approach "a little high." He "flared too high, slowed, and landed flat." Then, he "porpoised airplane and landed nose gear first on [the] second touchdown." He felt the damage occured on the second touchdown. He then performed a go-around, did a second go-around after being too high on final, and landed on the third approach without difficulty. The student did not report any mechanical difficulties with the airplane prior to the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.