No fatalities

13 Apr 2009: CESSNA 172 S — Av-Ed Flight School — York, PA

York, PA, United States

On 13 Apr 2009, a CESSNA 172 S operated by Av-Ed Flight School was involved in an aviation accident near York, PA. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The student pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 13 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

A student pilot on a solo cross-country flight experienced a hard landing, two airborne bounces, and a stall. The nose landing gear collapsed, causing damage to the engine firewall and left wing.

Flight Sequence

According to the student pilot, the first landing attempt of the solo cross-country flight resulted in a go-around. During the second attempt, the pilot landed the airplane about one-third of the way down the 5,188-foot runway. The touchdown was described as "hard but smooth (not a bounce),"; however, the airplane subsequently became airborne again.

Landing Attempts

The student pilot then landed the airplane once more. Although he believed the “plane had safely and completely landed,” it became airborne yet again. At that point, the pilot felt a go-around was not possible and "pulled back" on the flight controls. The airplane then "probably stalled and dropped to the runway."

Post-accident Findings

The nose landing gear collapsed during the event, and damage to the engine firewall and left wing resulted. Winds at the time were variable at 4 knots. The student pilot noted no preaccident mechanical anomalies.

Contributing factors

Student pilotIncorrect use/operation