Probable cause
The flight instructor's improper power management during a steep, obstacle-clearance approach, which resulted in a hard landing.
NTSB analysis
According to the flight instructor, he was demonstrating to a student pilot the technique required to land the airplane on a short runway over a 50-foot obstacle. About 50 feet over the runway, at an airspeed of 60 knots, with flaps fully deployed, the instructor reduced the throttle to idle and pitched the nose down to "increase airspeed" and flare the airplane before touchdown. Immediately after reducing the engine power to idle, the airplane "sunk," and the instructor responded with a full throttle application. However, the airplane was "too close to the ground," and the engine did not respond in time to prevent a hard landing, which resulted in substantial damage to the engine firewall. The instructor reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA13CA044 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Oct 20, 2012
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Miami, Florida
- Nearest airport
- Kendall Tamiami (TMB)
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Cessna 172R
- N-number
- N974BC
- Category
- Airplane
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Instructional
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.