Primary finding
Probable cause
The student pilot's premature flare and the resultant inadvertent stall.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The student pilot flared too high and stalled the airplane above the threshold. Subsequently landed hard damaging the airframe and firewall.
Source record
Factual narrative
On March 18, 1994, at 0810 central standard time, a Cessna 172M, N6654H, was substantially damaged during landing near Flippin, Arkansas. The student pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the solo instructional flight. In his Pilot/Operator Report and in an interview with a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, the pilot stated that on approach he initiated the flare too high and "stalled above the runway." The stall resulted in a "hard landing" damaging the airframe and fire wall. -