NTSB Factual Report

On June 18, 2003, about 0925 eastern daylight time, a Cessna C172S, N53352, operated by FIT Aviation, LLC and registered to J3M Airops, bounced off the runway on landing and flipped over at runway 27L at Melbourne International Airport, Melbourne, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan was filed. The local personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The airplane was substantially damaged. The private-pilot rated pilot was not injured. There were no injuries to anyone on the ground. The flight had originated from the Tallahassee Regional Airport, Tallahassee, Florida, at about 0725.

The pilot stated to FIT Aviation, LLC, flight safety officer, the airplane touched on the right of the center line and bounced up with the engine power at idle. The airplane touched down a second time approximately 5 feet off the right side of runway 27L in the grass. The airplane continued to porpoise in the grass and bounced two more times well right of the runway. As the airplane began to porpoise for a third time, it descended toward a drainage ditch that was approximately 6 feet deep. The nose of the aircraft touched down in the middle of the ditch, causing the airplane to flip over, tail over nose. The pilot evacuated the airplane with no injuries.

A witness, the flight instructor in a Piper, N616FT, stated, during landing on runway 27L crosswind conditions were such that he (instructor) assumed control from student, taxied off on C taxiway and looked toward his left, to see a C172 bounce off of 27L and begin to porpoise. The plane bounced four times. During porpoise, the tower radioed and asked Cessna 352 is there a problem, and he then saw the Cessna strike the ditch and flip over onto its back. He told ground an airplane had crashed and that they needed to dispatch fire trucks. They then taxied back to FIT ramp.

Another witness, the student pilot in a Piper, N616FT, stated, from the left seat of the Piper, having just landed on MLB Runway 27L with a left crosswind, they had safely landed and taxied on taxiway C, (himself and instructor in the right seat) and were completing a training flight. Stopping just past hold the short line, he heard the instructor say "go around, go around" and he looked to his left to see a high wing, single engine, blue and white plane bounce up off what looked like its first touch down. The wheels arose about 3 feet, touched again more gently, then seemed to settle down, bouncing on what seemed to be the grass on the northern side, rolled on its wheels down a ditch and turned over, nose to tail. The instructor called ground and said the plane had crashed and emergency vehicles should probably be called; ground said they called them. After what seemed like several minutes, one person in dark clothing walked away from the plane.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's improper flare and inadequate recovery from a bounced landing. Contributing factors were the pilot's failure to maintain directional control and his failure to execute a go-around.