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ERA11CA223

2011-04-01 · Columbia, South Carolina, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport CAE

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

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

Factual narrative

According to the pilot, he flew a "normal" approach to runway 29, but during the landing flare, the airplane encountered a gust of wind and bounced "hard." When it did, the pilot heard a "clunk." The airplane then bounced again before the pilot made a final landing. Post-flight examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported no pre-existing mechanical anomalies. Winds, recorded at the airport about the time of the accident, were from 270 degrees true at 17, gusting to 20 knots. According to the pilot, he flew a normal approach, but during the landing flare, the airplane encountered a gust of wind and bounced hard. When it did, he heard a "clunk." The airplane then bounced again before he made a final landing. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported no pre-existing mechanical anomalies. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Landing flare-Not attained/maintained - C
  • C Personnel issues-Action/decision-Action-Incorrect action performance-Pilot - C
  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Landing flare-Incorrect use/operation - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2011_ERA11CA223.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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