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GAA16CA511

2016-09-18 · Auburn, California, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport AUN

Current FAA registration · N7560D

Make / Model
CESSNA 172N
Year of manufacture
1979 · 37 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES (180 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19790815
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S AA32AF

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

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

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that during the landing touchdown, the airplane bounced hard, pitched up, and became airborne again. He further reported that he pushed the flight controls forward to lower the pitch attitude, and the airplane touched down again "abruptly" on the main landing gear, which was "almost immediately followed by the nose gear." During the landing roll, the airplane rolled to the left and the pilot "realized the nose gear had collapsed," because he could not steer the airplane. The airplane stopped off to the left edge of the runway. The firewall sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that during the landing touchdown, the airplane bounced hard, pitched up, and became airborne again. He further reported that he pushed the flight controls forward to lower the pitch attitude, and the airplane touched down again "abruptly" on the main landing gear, which was "almost immediately followed by the nose gear." During the landing roll, the airplane rolled to the left and the pilot "realized the nose gear had collapsed," because he could not steer the airplane. The airplane stopped off to the left edge of the runway. The firewall sustained substantial damage.  The pilot reported no preaccident 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.

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

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2016_GAA16CA511.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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