Three Aircraft Involved Over A One Month Span

The NTSB is investigating thee hard landings that occurred on three separate occasions at airports in Oahu between January and February. No injuries were reported in any of the accidents, but they did involve two Cessna aircraft and a Grob glider.

The Honolulu Star Advertiser reports that the first incidents involved a Cessna 172P flown by a 20-year old student pilot who bounced a landing while returning from Kalaeloa Airport. The pilot told the NTSB the plane had a firm touchdown and bounced twice before being told to go around by the tower. The pilot was unable to comply and the aircraft veered off the runway into a grassy area and hit a runway sign. Aircraft damage included the left main gear, firewall, elevator and horizontal stabilator.

The second incident also involved a Cessna172S flown by a 48-year old flight instructor, which flipped after a hard landing at Dillingham Airfield. The pilot told investigators he felt an unusual sink rate and turbulence just prior to landing. He said he attempted to correct the condition before the plane struck the runway but was unsuccessful. A go-around was attempted which resulted in the aircraft impacting the runway and rolling off to a grassy area nose-down before flipping over. Fortunately neither the pilot or his two passengers were hurt, but the aircraft was substantially damaged.

The third incident involved a Grob 103A glider flown by a student pilot that bounced three times upon landing at Dillingham Airfield. The report filed with the NTSB says the pilot rushed the landing and started a pilot induced oscillation. After the third bounce the pilot stopped the recovery procedure and the aircraft leveled off at about five five above the runway and descended in a level attitude and rolled to a stop. The report says the glider sustained substantial damage, and that mechanical failure was not cited as a cause of the accident.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov