No fatalities

Nose Landing Gear Collapse Following Hard Landing and Bounces

York, PA, United States

On April 22, 2018, a CESSNA AIRCRAFT CO 162 was involved in an aviation accident near York, PA. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing and a nose landing gear collapse. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-08-03Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot reported flaring too early and high during landing. Attempting to correct with power, the airplane landed hard, bounced multiple times, and the nose landing gear collapsed, causing substantial fuselage damage.

Accident Overview

The pilot of the airplane reported that during the landing sequence, she flared the aircraft too early and at an excessive height. In an attempt to correct the approach, she applied power. However, the airplane landed hard and subsequently bounced multiple times. The nose landing gear collapsed as a result of the impact and bounces.

Damage

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. No other damage was reported.

Pilot Report

The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The incident was attributed solely to the pilot's handling during the landing.

Investigation Findings

The investigation did not identify any mechanical issues or system failures. The event was consistent with a loss of control during landing due to improper flare technique and inadequate corrective action.

Contributing factors

Landing flare — Not attained/maintainedPilot