Asheville Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Asheville, North Carolina 28801
Wednesday, May 9, 2007 15:55 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the pilot, since the Cessna 172 was "high," he adjusted the flight controls for a "rapid" descent, and intercepted the visual glideslope on short final. At that point, the flaps were fully deployed, and the throttle at idle. Once over the runway, the pilot flared too "high," the airplane landed hard, and bounced about four times with each bounce becoming more "violent." On the last bounce, the airplane touched down nosewheel first, and the propeller struck the runway. The pilot added that there were no problems with the airplane, and that the runway was twice as long, and twice as wide as his home runway, causing him to initiate the landing flare too high.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's improper landing flare which resulted in a hard landing. A factor in the accident was the visual illusion experienced by the pilot from landing on a long, wide runway.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/9/2007
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1555
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Asheville
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 28801
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 352606N
Event Location Longitude 0823218W
Event Location Airport ASHEVILLE REGIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID AVL
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
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 --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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) 21723
NTSB Notification Source FAA Comm Center (ATL)
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jun 27 2007 1:15PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\lema
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N924LP
NTSB Number NYC07CA116
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 172S
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 172S9204
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 1 2007 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2145
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Costello Aviation Inc
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City --
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country --
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Montgomery County Aviation
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Blue Bell
Operator State PA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code --
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code LYH
Departure City LYNCHBURG
Departure State VA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code AVL
Destination City ASHEVILLE
Destination State NC
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 31 2007 12:09AM
User who most recently changed record MUZD
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 16
Runway Length 8001
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --