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ERA13CA040

2012-10-24 · Hampton, New Hampshire, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport 7B3

Current FAA registration · N4567E

Make / Model
AERONCA 7DC
Year of manufacture
1949 · 63 years old at event
Engine
CONT MOTOR C85-12F (85 hp)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
20140415
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A58BB8

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

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

Factual narrative

According to the flight instructor, the student pilot was conducting her first solo flight after 15 hours of dual instruction. On the first and second attempts at landing, the student pilot bounced, applied power and went around. On the third attempt at a landing in the pattern, a small helicopter was on the runway and she went around again. On the fourth attempt at landing, the airplane touched down, the right main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane skidded to a stop on the right side of the runway. Post-accident examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the right side fuselage incurred substantial damage due to buckling. The flight instructor reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. According to the flight instructor, the student pilot was conducting her first solo flight after 15 hours of dual instruction. On the first and second attempts at landing, the student pilot bounced, applied power and went around. On the third attempt at a landing in the pattern, a small helicopter was on the runway and she went around again. On the fourth attempt at landing, the airplane touched down, the right main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane skidded to a stop on the right side of the runway. Post-accident examination of the airplane revealed that the right side fuselage incurred substantial damage due to buckling. The flight instructor reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • — Personnel issues-Experience/knowledge-Experience/qualifications-Total experience-Student pilot
  • C Personnel issues-Action/decision-Action-Incorrect action performance-Student 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_2012_ERA13CA040.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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