According to the student pilot, while performing touch and go landings at his home airport in Miami, Florida, the Cessna 172 sustained a hard landing.
He stated that the first of two landings was flat and the airplane bounced, but the subsequent takeoff was normal.
He reported that during the second landing, “I felt that there was something wrong with the tire, so I stopped, followed the checklist to shut down the engine and proceeded to contact tower and request assistance.”
A post-flight inspection revealed that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall.
Probable cause: The student pilot’s failure to maintain pitch control, resulting in a hard landing and damage to the airplane firewall.
NTSB Identification: GAA15CA214
This August 2015 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.
