Cessna 172M N73461

Summary

On 9 August 2002 at about 15:15 local time, a Cessna 172M registered N73461, operated by MC Aviation, was involved in an accident near Enterprise, Alabama, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

9 August 2002 at 15:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Enterprise, Alabama, United States

Nearest airport

Enterprise Municipal (EDN)

Coordinates

31.2972, -85.8972

Aircraft

Cessna 172M

Registration

N73461

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

MC Aviation

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Mobile → Enterprise

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL02LA154

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's delayed flare on landing that resulted in a hard landing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated when he turned final for landing the VASI indicated that he was high. He slowed the airplane down, reacquired the VASI, and lowered the flaps to the full down position about 100 feet from the landing threshold. The airspeed indicated 60 knots and the airplane was about 30 feet high above the landing threshold with a high sink rate. He started his round out but his flare was late. The airplane collided with the runway, bounced about 6 feet into the air, pitched up, and to the left. He added power, the airplane collided with the runway hard, bounced, collided with the runway in a nose-down attitude on the nose gear and left main landing gear. Examination of the airplane after engine shutdown revealed the firewall was buckled.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.