Cessna 172P N89847

Summary

On 4 March 2013 at about 23:15 local time, a Cessna 172P registered N89847, operated by Eastern Kentucky University, was involved in an accident near Bardstown, Kentucky, 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

4 March 2013 at 23:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Bardstown, Kentucky, United States

Nearest airport

Bardstown (BRY)

Coordinates

37.8086, -85.4931

Aircraft

Cessna 172P

Registration

N89847

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Eastern Kentucky University

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Richmond → Bardstown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA13CA154

Nobody was injured.

The student pilot’s improper flare during a crosswind landing, which resulted in a hard landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the student pilot, who was on his first solo cross-country flight, wind at the destination airport was from 120 degrees at 6 knots, so he chose to land on runway 20. Abeam the intended point of landing, the student pilot reduced power, added 10 degrees of flaps, and obtained the desired descent airspeed. He maintained that airspeed on the base leg, and, turning onto final, noted that the airplane was high. The student pilot then lowered the flaps completely while continuing to maintain the desired approach airspeed. The student pilot stated that, shortly afterward, the airplane “ballooned,” and then “dropped immediately” and impacted the runway in a nose-low attitude. He reported that the stall warning horn sounded from "slightly before” the airplane “ballooned” until it impacted the runway. The student pilot did not report any preexisting preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Postflight examinations revealed a collapsed nose landing gear and firewall damage.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.