Gainesville Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Gainesville, Florida 32609
Thursday, February 14, 2008 14:45 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The student pilot of the Cessna 172P stated that he was conducting a solo cross-country flight. After entering the airport traffic pattern on the downwind leg, he configured the airplane for landing and reduced the engine power to idle on the final leg of the approach. During the landing, the airplane "porpoised and landed hard" resulting in damage to the nose landing gear, propeller, and firewall. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's improper flare.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/14/2008
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1445
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Gainesville
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32609
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 294140N
Event Location Longitude 0821630W
Event Location Airport Gainesville Regional Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID GNV
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID GNV
Elevation of weather observation facility 152
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 Clear
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) 15
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.22
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) 23339
NTSB Notification Source FAA SROC
NTSB Notification Date Feb 14 2008 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Mar 31 2008 11:52AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office FAA/FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N62283
NTSB Number NYC08CA103
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 172P
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17275244
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jan 1 2008 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 15589
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Delta Connection Academy
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Sanford
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State --
Operator Country --
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SFB
Departure City Sanford
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1315
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code GNV
Destination City Gainesville
Destination State FL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - flare/touchdown
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 22 2008 1:10PM
User who most recently changed record MUZD
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 11
Runway Length 7504
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --