NTSB Factual Report

On August 12, 2001, at 1400 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 182A, N4080D, experienced a hard touchdown while landing on runway 17 (4,425 feet by 75 feet, concrete) at the Grosse Ile Municipal Airport, Grosse Ile, Michigan. The certified flight instructor (CFI), student pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The flight originated from Oscoda, Michigan at approximately 1230.

The CFI reported that during the landing approach, at an altitude of 400 to 500 feet above the ground, he noticed that the student "was not in position to safely land a/c." The CFI reported that he repeatedly "ordered" the student to relinquish the flight controls, but the student would not do so. He reported that the result was a hard landing. The CFI reported that the student maintained control of the airplane until it came to rest.

The student pilot reported that he and the CFI were wearing noise reduction ear plugs. He stated that both he and the CFI were on the flight controls during the flight. The student reported that upon reaching the Grosse Ile area, he asked the CFI if he could land the airplane and the CFI nodded yes. The student reported the landing was made with the CFI also on the flight controls. The student stated that no commands were given during the landing. The student reported that the airplane hit hard on both main gear, bounced back into the air, and hit the runway again before coming to rest.

The student's flight training had been in Cessna 150 and Cessna 172 airplanes, he had no "formal" training in the Cessna 182. The student reported the purpose of the flight was to attend a fly-in breakfast at Oscoda, not flight instruction. The owner of the airplane, the student's brother, stated that the CFI did not have approval to allow the student to land the airplane, because his insurance would not cover a non-certificated pilot.

The passenger in the back seat of the airplane was also a certificated pilot. He reported that both the CFI and the student had their hands on the flight controls during the landing. He reported the airplane hit hard on the runway, bounced 15 feet in the air, then came down hard on the nose gear, striking the propeller on the runway. He reported the airplane oscillated several more times and the student pushed the throttle forward as if to go around. He reported he shouted from the backseat "shut it down - we're finished." The power was reduced to idle and the airplane was stopped on the runway. The back seat passenger's perception of the student pilot was that he seemed "overly confident and aggressive with regard to his piloting abilities."

Post accident inspection of the airplane revealed damage to the propeller, firewall, and lower fuselage.

NTSB Probable Cause

Both the CFI and the student pilot on board improperly flared the airplane and the CFI's failure to perform remedial action during the landing.