Cessna 182Q N5327N

Summary

On 21 June 2002 at about 09:30 local time, a Cessna 182Q registered N5327N was involved in an accident near Midland, Texas, 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

21 June 2002 at 09:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Midland, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Midland International Airport (MAF)

Coordinates

31.9425, -102.2019

Aircraft

Cessna 182Q

Registration

N5327N

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Carlsbad → Midland

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

FTW02LA188

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's hard landing as a result of her improper landing flare. Factors were the prevailing dark night conditions and the student pilot's lack of total experience in night operations.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The student pilot, arriving at her destination, flew around the airport several times to get her bearings. With the runway lights dim, she tried increasing the intensity with the pilot controlled lighting, but was unsuccessful. FAA control tower personnel reported there was no pilot controlled lighting installed at the airport. The pilot also stated the lights on the interstate highway, which borders the airport, were confusing to her. She attempted to land on runway 10, but due to the wind rocking the wings, she aborted the landing. The pilot subsequently landed on runway 16R "with a hard bounce" and taxied to parking. The airplane was then towed and secured in a hangar, at which time damage to the airplane was observed. An inspection of the airplane by an airframe and powerplant mechanic revealed the firewall had been deformed where the nose trunnion attaches to the firewall. An initial on-site examination by an FAA inspector revealed the aircraft had sustained substantial damage during the hard landing. A second FAA inspector who examined the aircraft concluded the damaging force was in an aft and upward direction consistent with a hard nose wheel landing, and not consistent with any sort of side load that could have been applied by improper ground handling. A private firm, commissioned by the pilot to access the damage, concluded the damage was the result of sudden and dramatic side loads on the nose gear during ground movement operations, and not damaged due to an in-flight hard landing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.