Hard landing involving a Cessna 172N, VH-EIB, Charleville Aerodrome, Queensland, on 23 September 1996

The pilot reported that he had flown a normal circuit and approach to land on runway 30. He did not monitor the airspeed adequately on the approach, with the result that the aircraft began to stall at about 10 feet above the runway. Power was applied to correct the descent, however the aircraft "ballooned" and then landed heavily. When the pilot taxied the aircraft off the runway, he thought the nose wheel tyre was deflated.

Post flight examination found that the tie down ring on the underside of the rear fuselage had broken off. The nose landing gear assembly was badly damaged, with sheared rivets at the top of the leg casting, and the engine firewall was buckled. The right side of the nose wheel fork had spread and was abraded by contact with the runway surface.

In describing the event the pilot insisted that it be called an act of "gross stupidity".