Cessna 172S N802SP

Summary

On 30 September 2004 at about 20:45 local time, a Cessna 172S registered N802SP, operated by McAir Aviation, LLC, was involved in an accident near Broomfield, Colorado, United States. 2 people were 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

30 September 2004 at 20:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Broomfield, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

Jeffco (BJC)

Coordinates

39.9086, -107.1172

Aircraft

Cessna 172S

Registration

N802SP

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

McAir Aviation, LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Broomfield → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN04LA150

Nobody was injured.

the pilot's improper flare, and the flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the pilot.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was a CFI candidate and his flight instructor was preparing him to take the flight instructor practical test. He was asked to demonstrate a short field landing. The airplane crossed the threshold at 65 KIAS (knots indicated airspeed) and was flared about 60-61 KIAS. The nose "suddenly pitched down" and the airplane struck the runway "hard." The pilot added full power, retracted the flaps to 20 degrees, and rejected the landing. The airplane vibrated as it climbed 300-400 feet per minute to pattern altitude. The flight instructor assumed control of the airplane, declared an emergency, and told control tower personnel that the elevator was jammed. The instructor used power to control altitude and flew a 2-mile final approach. The engine was secured just before touchdown, and a successful landing was made. Postaccident examination disclosed the propeller had struck the runway, and the nose wheel was crooked. The nose strut was pushed back into the firewall. The elevator and elevator trim, which had been set for landing, were also jammed. No evidence of a pre-existing failure of the elevator control was found.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.