Cessna 172 N72664 accident near Louisa, Virginia

Probable cause

The pilot’s improper landing flare which resulted in a hard landing.

NTSB analysis

The pilot was making an intermediate stop during a cross-country flight. While maneuvering the airplane through the final approach leg of the traffic pattern, the pilot described encountering “what appeared to be wind shear”. The pilot stated that the airplane “drop[ped] suddenly,” contacted the runway firmly, and bounced. The pilot elected to abort the landing and fly a second approach, during which he did not report encountering any adverse wind or turbulence, and landed without further incident. After landing, the pilot shut down the airplane to check the fuel quantity and take a short break. During the following pre-takeoff run-up procedures, the pilot reported feeling some “resistance” in the elevator control and taxied the airplane back to shut down and report the issue. The airplane’s forward lower fuselage and floorboards were later found to have been substantially damaged.

The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA24LA364 for the full record.