Primary finding
Probable cause
the student pilot misjudged the landing flare resulting in a hard landing. A factor in the accident was high airspeed.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot was number 2 to land behind another aircraft on the runway. The pilot made several power adjustments to slow the airplane to increase the spacing while on final approach. The pilot then increased power to stay above stall speed. As the airplane flew over the runway threshold the speed was too high and the pilot misjudged the flare and bounced hard during touchdown.
Source record
Factual narrative
On June 29, 1996, at 1052 hours Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 172, N9408L, collided with runway 26 at the Camarillo, California, airport. The airplane was being operated by Sun Air Aviation, Inc., Camarillo, as an instructional flight when the accident occurred. The airplane sustained substantial damage and the student pilot was not injured. The local flight originated from the Camarillo airport. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. The pilot indicated on his accident report he was number 2 to land behind another aircraft on runway 26. He made several power adjustments to slow the airplane and increase his spacing. He then increased power to stay above stall speed. He believed that as he flew over the runway threshold the speed was too great. The pilot indicated he misjudged the flare and bounced hard during touchdown. Postflight examination of the airplane revealed the firewall had been bent. -