Event ATL89LA170

1989-06-16 BIRMINGHAM, Alabama, United States Airport · BHM None 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Aircraft involved

N48257 Cessna R172E None

Probable cause & findings

IMPROPER FLARE BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING. THE FACT THAT THE PILOT WAS ASKED TWICE TO EXPEDITE THE LANDING CREATED PRESSURE ON THE PILOT AND WAS CONSIDERED TO BE A FACTOR.

Factual narrative

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHEN SHE WAS ESTABLISHED ON FINAL APPROACH TO LAND, THE TOWER TOLD HER TO MAINTAIN HER SPEED BECAUSE OF TWO FIGHTERS BEHIND HER. SHE COMPLIED. SHE PLANNED TO LAND LONG AND TURN ONTO THE NEAREST TAXIWAY TO THE FBO. WHEN SHE WAS OVER THE RUNWAY AND WAS SLOWING TO LAND, THE CONTROLLER INSTRUCTED HER TO EXPEDITE THE LANDING. SUBSEQUENTLY, WHILE SHE WAS ATTEMPTING TO COMPLY, THE AIRCRAFT LANDED HARD, WHICH BUCKLED THE FIRE WALL. THE PILOT (OF N48257) DID NOT INFORM THE TOWER CONTROLLER THAT SHE HAD PLANNED TO LAND LONG. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1989_ATL89LA170.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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