This October 2007 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
Aircraft: Cessna 172. Location: Glendale, Ariz. Injuries: None. Aircraft damage: Substantial.
What reportedly happened: The instructor and student pilot were on final approach. The instructor stated that as the airplane neared touchdown the student reduced power throttle to idle, leaving his hand on the throttle. The student pilot then leaned forward, moving his hand, which in turn moved the throttle forward. The airplane ballooned in response to the power increase and the nose yawed to the left. The student pilot tried to correct this by applying full right rudder. The airplane yawed to the right. The instructor said that he tried to correct the yaw, but he was not successful before impact with the runway. The propeller hit the ground and the airplane skidded off the runway. The nose gear collapsed and the firewall was damaged.
Probable cause: The student pilot’s improper bounced landing recovery technique, improper use of the flight controls, and the instructor’s inadequate supervision of the flight.
For more information: NTSB.gov
