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ERA12CA569

2012-09-01 · Farmingdale, New York, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport FRG

Current FAA registration · N2409E

Make / Model
CESSNA 172S
Year of manufacture
2007 · 5 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING IO-360-L2A (180 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
20070620
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A23397

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

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

Factual narrative

The student pilot was landing at the destination airport at the conclusion of a solo cross-country flight. He stated that he flared the airplane too high, resulting in a hard landing and propeller strike. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector, who examined the airplane after the accident, observed substantial damage to the engine firewall and buckling of the lower fuselage. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The student pilot was landing at the destination airport at the conclusion of a solo cross-country flight. He stated that he flared the airplane too high, resulting in a hard landing and propeller strike. A postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to the engine firewall and buckling of the lower fuselage. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. 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-Student pilot - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2012_ERA12CA569.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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