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GAA18CA396

2018-07-08 · San Luis Obispo, California, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport SBP

Current FAA registration · N411BP

Make / Model
CESSNA 182Q
Year of manufacture
1977 · 41 years old at event
Engine
CONT MOTOR O-470 SERIES (230 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19771210
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A4D7FE

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

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

Factual narrative

According to the pilot, he made a straight in approach about 80 knots and full flaps on final. He initiated the landing flare and "felt a slight sink in lift" that resulted in a hard landing. He reported that the airplane bounced four times with each bounce increasing in height and magnitude. Subsequently, he taxied the airplane to the nearest intersection but was unable to continue, because the airplane was "taxiing rough" and he believed that the nose landing gear tire was damaged. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left and right-side fuselage stringers. Additionally, the pilot asserted that he underestimated the airplane's weight, and that a proper trim application could have helped to prevent this accident. He further emphasized that he should have aborted the landing after the first hard bounce. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. According to the pilot, he made a straight-in approach about 80 knots and full flaps on final. He initiated the landing flare and "felt a slight sink in lift," which resulted in a hard landing. He reported that the airplane bounced four times with each bounce increasing in height and magnitude. Subsequently, he taxied the airplane to the nearest intersection but was unable to continue because the airplane was "taxiing rough", and he believed that the nose landing gear tire was damaged. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left and right fuselage stringers. Additionally, the pilot asserted that proper trim application could have helped to prevent this accident and that he should have aborted the landing after the first hard bounce. The pilot reported that there were no 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-Incorrect use/operation - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2018_GAA18CA396.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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