NTSB ERA23LA259 — 2023-05-30 · Miami, Florida, United States

Current FAA registration · N2447B

Make / Model: CESSNA 172R
Year of manufacture: 1999 · 24 years old at event
Engine: LYCOMING I0360 SER (180 hp)
Seats / Engines: 4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19991115
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A2422A

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N2447B Cessna 172 None

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in substantial damage the airplane’s fuselage.

Factual narrative

The student pilot was conducting his first solo flight and the airplane was high on the final leg of the approach to land. He attempted to correct by reducing the engine power to idle. When he initiated the landing flare, the airplane bounced on initial touchdown and then porpoised on the runway. The underside of the fuselage sustained substantial damage during the landing. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact 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.

— Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Landing flare-Not attained/maintained
— Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2023_ERA23LA259.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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