NTSB Factual Report

On April 28, 2006, about 1015 Hawaiian standard time, a Cessna 172S, N790SP, landed hard at Honolulu International Airport, Honolulu, Hawaii. Flight School Hawaii, Inc., was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The local solo instructional flight departed about 0930. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.

The pilot submitted a written report. He was returning from the practice area, and was initially cleared for landing on runway 4L. The tower controller then cleared him to land on runway 4R. He felt that he was too close on downwind to make the approach. He asked the controller to let him go towards the ocean, and turn around to get in a better position to land. The controller told him to turn final "now" because of outbound traffic. The student pilot said that he thought that this was an urgent request to land immediately.

The student pilot said that he was too high (800 feet) and that his airspeed (95 knots) was faster than it should be. He lowered 10 degrees of flaps, selected idle power, and aimed toward the runway. He knew that he would land long, and wanted to go around. However, he didn't want to interfere with the departing traffic. He said that his airspeed was still fast, he flared too early, and the airplane landed hard. The airplane began to porpoise. He tried to prevent the propeller from striking the ground, and added power to stop from descending too quickly. He stopped the airplane beside the runway, and then taxied back onto the runway and to the ramp.

The pilot stated that the airplane and engine had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight.

NTSB Probable Cause

the pilot's misjudged flare resulting in a hard landing and a porpoise pilot induced oscillation.