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CEN23LA355

2023-08-06 · Waco, Texas, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport ACT

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The solo student pilot’s improper descent path which resulted in a hard landing on the nose wheel and subsequent bounced landing.

Factual narrative

The solo student pilot reported he was anxious on the flight controls in preparation for night landing. During the approach, he felt the airplane was higher above the runway than his actual altitude, and he descended the airplane in a nose low attitude which caused a hard landing on the nose wheel. The student pilot then pulled back on the control yoke, and subsequently the airplane porpoised and settled on to the runway surface. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the forward fuselage. The student pilot reported that the airplane had no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • — Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Descent/approach/glide path-Not attained/maintained
  • — Personnel issues-Action/decision-Action-Incorrect action selection-Student/instructed pilot
  • — Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Student/instructed pilot
  • — Personnel issues-Psychological-Perception/orientation/illusion-Visual illusion/disorientation-Student/instructed pilot

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2023_CEN23LA355.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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