NTSB Factual Report

On June 12, 2001, at 1500 central daylight time, a Cessna 172S airplane, N749SP, was substantially damaged upon landing at the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The airplane was registered to and operated by Louisiana Aircraft Inc., of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The student pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a visual flight rules flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional solo flight. The cross-country flight originated from the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport at 1230.

According to the 53.5-hour student pilot, he departed Baton Rouge for his second cross-country solo flight and "flew to Slidell then to McComb and back to Baton Rouge." Upon landing at Baton Rouge, the airplane "bounced a few times and [he] had to power up a little to make the landing." Subsequently, he brought the airplane to a stop on the runway and taxied to the parking ramp without further incident. He stated that as he "did not feel or hear anything unusual, [he] had no reason to check the plane, the propeller in particular." He added that the winds were calm at the time of the accident.

Subsequently, damage to the airplane was discovered when the next pilot was conducting a preflight examination of the airplane. The operator reported that the propeller blade tips were curled, and the engine firewall was structurally damaged.

NTSB Probable Cause

the student pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing.