Probable cause
The student pilot's improper flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
NTSB analysis
According to the student pilot, who was on his third solo flight, the airplane was stable on the final leg of the traffic pattern. He increased the pitch of the airplane and began to flare when the stall warning horn sounded. The student pilot then released the back pressure on the yoke to decrease pitch before the airplane impacted the runway, causing the nosewheel to bounce and buckle and the right rudder pedal to jam to the right. The airplane then veered off the right side of the runway, coming to rest in a grass apron. During the accident sequence the airplane incurred substantial damage to the firewall. During a subsequent examination of the wreckage, a Federal Aviation Administration inspector found no preexisting anomalies with the airplane, nor did the student pilot report any.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA11CA283 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- May 3, 2011
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Fort Pierce, Florida
- Nearest airport
- St. Lucie County International (FPR)
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Cessna 172P
- N-number
- N5460K
- Category
- Airplane
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Instructional
Other records under this N-number
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.