Cessna 172 N8100B

Summary

On 28 July 2012 at about 17:00 local time, a Cessna 172 registered N8100B was involved in an accident near Grand Canyon, Arizona, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 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

28 July 2012 at 17:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Grand Canyon, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Grand Canyon National Park (GCN)

Coordinates

35.9522, -112.1469

Aircraft

Cessna 172

Registration

N8100B

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Flagstaff → Grand Canyon

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR12CA337

2 people had minor injuries.

The pilot’s improper flare and inadequate recovery from a bounced landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that upon entering the airport traffic pattern, he remained at a higher altitude than normal on the downwind and base legs due to helicopter traffic. Upon turning onto the final leg, the approach angle to the runway was steeper than normal and the airplane was still high. He stated that due to the steeper approach angle, he misjudged the landing flare; the airplane landed hard, bounced, and began to porpoise. As the pilot attempted to abort the landing, the airplane veered to the right and landed in the dirt adjacent to the runway where the airplane nosed over and sustained structural damage to both wings, the vertical stabilizer, and the rudder. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.