Probable cause
The student pilot's improper landing flare and improper recovery from a bounced landing, which resulted in a hard landing.
NTSB analysis
The student pilot reported that while practicing touch and go landings, he “came in a little faster than normal” on the 7th landing. During touchdown, the airplane bounced several times, each bounce “harder/higher” than the previous. He attempted to perform a abort the landing but the nose landing gear struck the ground “hard” and the propeller struck the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the forward fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA20CA249 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Jul 11, 2020
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Pickens, South Carolina
- Nearest airport
- Pickens County (LQK)
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Cessna 172
- N-number
- N737WA
- Category
- Airplane
- Year built
- 1977
- 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.