Cessna 172 N7921G

Summary

On 18 April 2024 at about 18:00 local time, a Cessna 172 registered N7921G, operated by Triad Aviation Academy LLC, was involved in an accident near Stoneville, North Carolina, 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

18 April 2024 at 18:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Stoneville, North Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Rockingham County Nc Shiloh (SIF)

Coordinates

36.4372, -79.8510

Aircraft

Cessna 172

Registration

N7921G

Category

Airplane

Year built

1970

Engines

1

Operator

Triad Aviation Academy LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Stoneville → Stoneville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA24LA188

Nobody was injured.

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

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The student pilot and flight instructor initially flew together on the day of the accident with the intention of practicing pattern work and landings, with the possibility of the student pilot performing her first solo flight given that the conditions were favorable. The student pilot first performed three circuits of the traffic pattern, with the instructor in the airplane, without incident. The flight instructor characterized that the student’s landings were “good,” and her patterns were consistent. The windsocks at the approach end of the runway were limp, indicating low wind. After the third landing, the flight instructor endorsed the student for solo flight and her first solo landing was uneventful. The student pilot described that when she was coming in for her second solo landing, she heard other pilots calling in over the radio saying they were on final approach to land, and she wanted to get out of the way as soon as possible. Also, during her landing, the precision approach path indicator was not on, and she had difficulty with her depth perception. She realized that she was too high and fast coming in on short final. The airplane then struck the runway and porpoised 4-times. She was subsequently unable to steer the airplane using the rudder pedals and the airplane was towed back to the ramp. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the fuselage was substantially damaged. The operator reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.