Grants Pass Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Grants Pass, Oregon 97526
Saturday, May 7, 2011 10:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The student pilot stated that he was practicing short field landings and configured the airplane with full flaps on the approach. The student pilot reduced power too early for the airplane configuration, which caused a loss of airspeed and a subsequent hard landing. During subsequent annual maintenance, a mechanic noted that the firewall was bent. The student pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The student pilot's failure to maintain an adequate airspeed on approach, which resulted in a hard landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/7/2011
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1000
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Grants Pass
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97526
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 423022N
Event Location Longitude 1232310W
Event Location Airport Grants Pass
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 3S8
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 1126
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 953 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID KMFR
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 6000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.88
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) 30844
NTSB Notification Source FAA Regional 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 Dec 14 2012 4:24PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8287X
NTSB Number WPR11CA489
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 172C
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17248787
Certified Max Gross Weight 2250
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 30 2011 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 4951
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name JORDAN KENNETH L
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City GRANTS PASS
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97526-9641
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name JORDAN KENNETH L
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City GRANTS PASS
Operator State OR
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 97526-9641
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 3S8
Departure City Grants Pass
Departure State OR
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1000
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 3S8
Destination City Grants Pass
Destination State OR
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 14 2012 4:24PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 13
Runway Length 4001
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --