Cessna 172L Nose-Gear Landing at Grand Central Aerodrome (ZS-IOI)

Occurrence Overview On 26 March 2024 at 0645Z, a Cessna 172L with registration ZS-IOI was involved in an accident at Grand Central Aerodrome (FAGC) in Gauteng Province, South Africa. The aircraft was on a solo training flight under Part 141 of the Civil Aviation Regulations (CAR) 2011, operating in visual meteorological conditions by day. The pilot-in-command was a student pilot holding a Student Pilot Licence (SPL). ## Flight Sequence The student pilot completed four uneventful circuits with a flight instructor on board. After the instructor disembarked, the student taxied to the Runway 35 holding point and took off solo. During final approach at an indicated airspeed of 80 miles per hour (69 knots) with flaps set to stage 2 (30°), the pilot flared too high before positioning the aircraft in a nose-down attitude. The aircraft touched down with the nose gear first, bounced three times, and then settled. During taxi, air traffic control informed the pilot that the nose wheel had deflated. The pilot stopped the aircraft on the apron, switched off the master switch, and disembarked. Fire and rescue personnel later towed the aircraft to a hangar. ## Damage and Injuries The student pilot was not injured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the nose wheel and the firewall. ## Weather and Aircraft Status Weather information from the South African Weather Service for O.R. Tambo International Airport (FAOR), located 36 km south-east of FAGC, indicated wind from 050° at 6 kt, visibility 10 km, temperature 17°C, broken cloud base at 2,400 ft, dew point 14°C, and QNH 1022 hPa. The report stated that fine weather conditions prevailed and that weather had no bearing on the accident. The aircraft’s last 100-hour mandatory periodic inspection was certified on 13 September 2024 at 15,494.0 total airframe hours; at the time of the accident, the aircraft had 15,521.80 hours, meaning it had accrued 27.80 hours after the inspection. The Certificate of Airworthiness was initially issued on 15 September 1980 and renewed on 5 September 2023, expiring on 30 September 2024. The Certificate of Registration was issued to the present owner on 20 April 2009. ## Findings The student pilot’s approach speed of 80 mph (69 knots) with flaps at stage 2 (30°) contrasted with the Pilot’s Operating Handbook’s prescribed landing speeds of 55–65 knots with flaps down or 60–70 knots with flaps up. The pilot flared too high, leading to a high sink rate; the aircraft then touched down with its nose gear first and bounced, damaging the nose gear. ## Probable Cause and Contributing Factors The probable cause was that the aircraft was incorrectly configured for landing, exacerbated by an excessive flare. As a result, the aircraft touched down hard with its nose wheel and bounced, causing damage to the nose gear. A contributing factor was lack of experience. ## Safety Message The report advised pilots to immediately initiate a go-around if they realize their approach is unstable, as a proven risk mitigation strategy to avoid hard landings that could damage the aircraft or injure people on board.