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N73857 accident description

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Crash location 37.693333°N, 121.820278°W
Nearest city Livermore, CA
37.681874°N, 121.768009°W
3.0 miles away
Tail number N73857
Accident date 20 Jul 2003
Aircraft type Cessna 172N
Additional details: None

NTSB Factual Report

On July 20, 2003, at 1230 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N73857, experienced a hard landing at Livermore Airport, California. The airplane was registered to and operated by Flying Particles, Inc., a flying club in Livermore, under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot was not injured, and the airplane was substantially damaged. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a visual flight plan had not been filed. The personal flight originated from the Fresno-Chandler Downtown Airport about 1130.

The pilot stated in the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120 1/2), that she bounced the airplane two times while attempting to land on runway 25R. She described the bounces as a "porpoise." The pilot then executed a go-around and on the second approach she landed uneventfully. The winds at Livermore were recorded as variable at 3 knots.

A mechanic inspected the airplane and reported to the NTSB Investigator-in-Charge (IIC) that the engine firewall was damaged and a section of fuselage skin behind the firewall on the left side was wrinkled.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's misjudged landing flare, which resulted in a porpoise pilot induced oscillation and hard landing.

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