Cessna 172A N7265T

Summary

On 21 March 2004 at about 19:15 local time, a Cessna 172A registered N7265T, operated by Otis A. Keller, was involved in an accident near Springfield, Missouri, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

21 March 2004 at 19:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Springfield, Missouri, United States

Coordinates

37.1833, -93.1336

Aircraft

Cessna 172A

Registration

N7265T

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Otis A. Keller

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Springfield → Springfield

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI04CA088

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot failed to initiate a go-around and the airplane porpoised during the hard landing. Factors associated with the accident were the excessive groundspeed and the overload failure of the nose gear.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane experienced a nose gear collapse following a loss of control while landing on a grass airstrip. The pilot stated that as he cleared the trees at the approach end of the runway he noted his airspeed was indicating 60 miles per hour, but his ground speed seemed fast. He stated that upon touchdown, the airplane bounced and porpoised contacting the grass airstrip on the nose gear. The pilot reported the nose gear collapsed and the nose of the airplane dug into the grass. The pilot stated he should have performed a go around when he noticed the fast ground speed.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.