Barnes Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Westfield, Massachusetts 01085
Friday, April 9, 2004 11:10 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During the student pilot's first solo landing, as the airplane neared the runway, it climbed slightly and dropped "very fast" back to the runway surface. The airplane touched down hard on the runway, collapsing the landing gear assembly and buckling the firewall. The airplane veered left and came to rest in a grass field. The student pilot did not report any malfunctions with the airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The student pilot's improper flare and his failure to maintain aircraft control while landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/9/2004
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1110
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Westfield
Event State MASSACHUSETTS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 01085
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 420927N
Event Location Longitude 0724256W
Event Location Airport Barnes Municipal
Event Location Nearest Airport ID BAF
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 271
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1153 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID BAF
Elevation of weather observation facility 271
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 6000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.73
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
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 15778
NTSB Notification Source FAA NEROC
NTSB Notification Date Apr 9 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1300
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jun 30 2004 12:15PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Windsor Locks, CT

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5425K
NTSB Number NYC04CA102
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 172P
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17274106
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Apr 1 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 9
Airframe Hours 2511
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Stephen M Hayden
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Ludlow
Aircraft Owner State MA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 01056
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Five Star Flight Academy
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Westfield
Operator State MA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 01085
Operator 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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code BAF
Departure City --
Departure State --
Departure Country --
Departure Time 1100
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - flare/touchdown
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Apr 22 2004 2:28PM
User who most recently changed record PEAR
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 02
Runway Length 9000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --