Hernando County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Brooksville, Florida 34609
Saturday, March 24, 2012 13:15 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

An airport ramp employee reported observing the airplane "porpoise" three times during the landing, followed by a tail strike, which he saw and heard. The pilot performed a go-around and remained in the traffic pattern for a full stop landing. The ramp employee observed the pilot and his passengers leave the airplane without performing an external inspection. During postaccident interviews, the pilot who was flying the airplane reported that he was performing a touch-and-go landing and bounced once during the initial touchdown. He stated that he did not land hard or experience a tail strike. The damage to the cabin floor, the engine firewall, and the tail strike bar was discovered later in the day by another pilot preparing to fly the airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/24/2012
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1315
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Brooksville
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 34609
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 282825N
Event Location Longitude 0822720W
Event Location Airport Hernando County Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID BKV
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 76
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1253 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID BKV
Elevation of weather observation facility 76
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3600
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) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 18
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.01
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 30583
NTSB Notification Source Civil Air Patrol
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 10 2012 3:43PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N99087
NTSB Number ERA12LA259
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 172P
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17276400
Certified Max Gross Weight 2407
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 1 2012 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 19
Airframe Hours 4553
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name CIVIL AIR PATROL INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 105 S HANSELL ST
Aircraft Owner City MAXWELL AFB
Aircraft Owner State AL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 36112-6332
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name CIVIL AIR PATROL INC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 105 S HANSELL ST
Operator City MAXWELL AFB
Operator State AL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 36112-6332
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) Other Work Use
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code VDF
Departure City Tampa
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1245
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code BKV
Destination City Brooksville
Destination State FL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 10 2012 3:43PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 21
Runway Length 5015
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --