Cessna 172 N35079

Summary

On 31 January 2016 at about 15:30 local time, a Cessna 172 registered N35079, operated by 30 West LLC., was involved in an accident near Merritt Island, Florida, 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

31 January 2016 at 15:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Merritt Island, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Merritt Island (COI)

Coordinates

28.3417, -80.6861

Aircraft

Cessna 172

Registration

N35079

Category

Airplane

Year built

2001

Engines

1

Operator

30 West LLC.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Merritt Island → Merritt Island

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA16CA114

Nobody was injured.

The student pilot's improper flare which resulted in a porpoise, runway excursion, and nose over.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The student pilot reported that during landing on his third solo flight, the approach to the runway was high and fast, and that during touchdown, the nose wheel touched first resulting in a porpoise. During the porpoise, the airplane drifted to the left and the pilot elected to abort the landing. He advanced the throttle to full power, which increased the yaw to the left. The airplane exited the runway to the left, impacted a ditch, and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left lift strut, empennage, and fuselage. The student pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.