Eloy Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Eloy, Arizona 85231
Saturday, September 15, 2012 22:10 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated that he had difficulty activating the pilot-controlled lighting at the airport, which resulted in the airplane entering the base leg of the traffic pattern higher and closer to the runway than normal. The airplane was high and fast on final and landed at the midfield point. The pilot landed the airplane hard on the nose wheel and porpoised at least twice while attempting to complete the landing. Postaccident examination revealed damage to the airplane's firewall.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's improper flare, and his inadequate recovery from a bounced landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/15/2012
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 2210
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City Eloy
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85231
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 324824N
Event Location Longitude 1113512W
Event Location Airport Eloy Municipal Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID E60
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 2215 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID KCGZ
Elevation of weather observation facility 1464
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
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) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 315
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.03
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) 30690
NTSB Notification Source FAA Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 12 2012 4:39PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8293E
NTSB Number WPR12CA425
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 172N
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17272179
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats 1
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 Oct 25 2011 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 1718
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LUNA THOMAS R
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City MESA
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85215-0876
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name LUNA THOMAS R
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City MESA
Operator State AZ
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 85215-0876
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board --
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code KCGZ
Departure City Casa Grande
Departure State AZ
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 2200
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code E60
Destination City Eloy
Destination State AZ
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 12 2012 4:39PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 02
Runway Length 3900
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --