Melbourne Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Melbourne, Florida 32935
Wednesday, June 18, 2003 9:25 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated to an airport operator official that the airplane touched on the right of center line and bounced up with the engine power at idle. The airplane touched down a second time approximately 5 feet off the right side of runway 27L in the grass. The airplane continued to porpoise in the grass, bounced two more times well right of the runway. As the airplane began to porpoise for a third time, it descended toward a drainage ditch that was approximate 6 feet deep. The nose of the aircraft touched down in the middle of the ditch, causing the airplane to flip over, tail over nose. The pilot evacuated the airplane with no injuries.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's improper flare and inadequate recovery from a bounced landing. Contributing factors were the pilot's failure to maintain directional control and his failure to execute a go-around.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/18/2003
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 925
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Melbourne
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32935
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? Yes
Event Location Latitude 280635N
Event Location Longitude 0804416W
Event Location Airport MELBOURNE REGIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MLB
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0.5
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID MLB
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2200
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 25
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.98
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency --
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 14082
NTSB Notification Source FIT
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Sep 30 2003 9:55AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N53352
NTSB Number MIA03CA125
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 172S
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 172S9352
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 66.4
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name J3M Airops
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City --
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country --
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name FIT Aviation, LLC
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Melbourne
Operator State FL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board --
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code KTLH
Departure City Tallahassee
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code KMLB
Destination City Melbourne
Destination State FL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - roll
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 23 2003 3:31PM
User who most recently changed record JOHB
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 27L
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --