Investigation number
199001170
Occurrence date
Location
Melbourne Airport
Report release date
Report status
Final
Investigation type
Occurrence Investigation
Investigation status
Completed
Aviation occurrence category
Hard landing
Occurrence class
Accident
Highest injury level
None

Enroute from Lilydale to Melbourne the pilot was required to hold for a short time. While doing so he noted that the elevator control seemed heavy. He set 30 degrees of flap for landing and said he began to move the control column back to flare at about 65 knots. He said that the aircraft did not respond but that the nose dropped and the aircraft hit the runway nose wheel first and bounced several times. Later inspection of the aircraft did not reveal any evidence of pre-existing defects. The prevailing wind at the time of landing was from the south at about 12 knots. At around the time of landing the wind direction changed to 120 degrees at about the same strength. This wind shear effect may have contributed to the handling difficulties reported by the pilot during landing. This accident was not the subject of an on-scene investigation.

Aircraft Details
Manufacturer
Cessna Aircraft Company
Model
172
Registration
VH-SPW
Serial number
R17222759
Operation type
Private
Departure point
Lilydale VIC
Departure time
1710
Destination
Melbourne VIC
Damage
Substantial