Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Grand Forks International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Grand Forks, North Dakota 58203
Tuesady, October 20, 2009 12:20 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The accident occurred during the student pilot's second landing on his first solo flight. He stated that the airplane was on a stabilized approach as it crossed over the runway threshold at 63 knots. He reduced engine power and began to flare as the airplane was abeam the Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI) system. He reported that the landing flare was "somewhat short" and that the airplane landed hard on its main landing gear. He reduced his back pressure on the control yoke and the nose wheel contacted the runway. The airplane then bounced several times, alternating between the nose and main landing gear, before stabilizing on a landing rollout. A postaccident inspection of the aircraft revealed the lower engine firewall and forward floorboards were substantially deformed. The student pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The student pilot's improper landing flare and recovery from a bounced landing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/20/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1220 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Grand Forks |
| Event State | NORTH DAKOTA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 58203 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 475650N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0971026W |
| Event Location Airport | Grand Forks International |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | KGFK |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 845 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1153 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KGFK |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 845 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 3500 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 1400 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Thin Overcast |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 7 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 4 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 110 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.14 |
| 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) | 26543 |
| NTSB Notification Source | University of North Dakota |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 6 2010 10:17AM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N519ND |
| NTSB Number | CEN10CA025 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | CESSNA |
| Aircraft Model | 172S |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 172S10810 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2558 |
| 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 | AAIP |
| Date of Last Inspection | Oct 13 2009 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 992 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | UND Aerospace Foundation |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 4251 University Avenue, Stop 9023 |
| Aircraft Owner City | Grand Forks |
| Aircraft Owner State | ND |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 58202-9023 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | UND Aerospace Foundation |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 4251 University Avenue, Stop 9023 |
| Operator City | Grand Forks |
| Operator State | ND |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 58202-9023 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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 | KGFK |
| Departure City | Grand Forks |
| Departure State | ND |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1210 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | KGFK |
| Destination City | Grand Forks |
| Destination State | ND |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 7 2010 8:54PM |
| User who most recently changed record | foxt |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 35L |
| Runway Length | 7349 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |