Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot's improper flare and/or improper recovery from a bounced landing.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot reported that while landing with 20 degrees of flaps extended, the airplane stalled, touched down hard, then bounced. The pilot applied power, landed, then taxied off the runway. The hard landing resulted in structural damage to the firewall and the cockpit floor.
Source record
Factual narrative
On May 31, 1995, about 1140 central daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N734YD, registered to CKS, Inc., was substantially damaged on landing at the Bruce Campbell Field, Madison, Mississippi. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and an IFR flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. The private-rated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated about 1100 from the Greenwood-Leflore Airport, Greenwood, Mississippi. The pilot stated that the flight entered the traffic pattern to land, and while on final approach with 20 degrees of flaps extended, the airplane stalled, touched down hard, then bounced. She added power, recovered, then landed hard and taxied off the runway. The pilot who was the co-owner of the airplane reported the accident to the FAA on November 1, 1995. The FAA notified the NTSB the following day. Postcrash examination of the airplane by an FAA airworthiness inspector revealed that the firewall and floorboard in the cockpit area were buckled. -