Primary finding
Probable cause
the pilot's misjudging the flare altitude and failing to maintain adequate airspeed resulting in an inadvertent stall and hard landing. The pilot's lack of total time in the airplane is a factor in this accident.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot misjudged the flare altitude during landing and failed to maintain adequate airspeed. The airplane stalled and sustained a hard landing. The pilot had accrued 1.5 hours in the aircraft make and model.
Source record
Factual narrative
On August 13, 1994, at 1815 hours mountain standard time, a Cessna 172P, N98909, sustained a hard landing on runway 21 at Scottsdale Municipal Airport, Scottsdale, Arizona. The pilot was completing a visual flight rules personal flight. The airplane, registered to and operated by Sawyer Aviation, Phoenix, Arizona, sustained substantial damage. Neither the recently certificated private pilot nor either of the two passengers were injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated at Sky Harbor Airport, Phoenix, Arizona, about 1700 hours. Mr. James Hackman, Sawyer Aviation, was interviewed via telephone by National Transportation Safety Board investigators on August 16, 1994. Mr. Hackman said the pilot reported that the approach speed and flare to the runway were normal, but the airplane, however, "suddenly dropped like a rock." The pilot taxied off the runway. Mr. Hackman also said that he contacted the local controller. The local controller reported that the approach speed and flare altitude appeared normal moments before it dropped. Safety Board investigators reviewed the recorded communications between Scottsdale Air Traffic Control Tower and N98909. The review revealed the pilot initially called the local controller at 1807:67 hours and reported that he was 8 miles southwest of the airport. The local controller cleared N98909 to land on runway 21 and cleared another airplane to land behind N98909. At 1815:54 hours, the local controller cleared N98909 to taxi to parking. At 1816:07, an unidentified voice said "that airplane looks a little bent there"; another unidentified voice responded "yeah, I see that." The communications medium also revealed that the airplane following N98909, a Beach BE-55, landed without incident. There were no communications from any pilots before or after the accident suggesting any windshear conditions. The reported surface winds were from 270 degrees at 15 knots. -