Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

According to the pilot, he had reserved a Cessna 172 but was mistakenly given a Cessna 162, an airplane he had never flown. After flying to the practice area and preforming slow flight with flaps extended, he returned to the airport for landing. He said there was a helicopter ahead of him and he considered performing a go-around. The helicopter cleared the runway and the pilot decided to land. The airplane was going too fast and it bounced and began to porpoise. The airplane veered off the west side of the runway. The nose gear collapsed and the left wing struck the ground. The airplane came to rest approximately midfield. According to the operator, the firewall, fuselage, and rear bulkhead were buckled, and the left front and rear wing spars were bent. The pilot said he had never flown or had been checked out in a Cessna 162. In addition, he had not flown for some time and was trying to regain currency. The pilot’s total lack of experience in aircraft make/model, and his failure to maintain directional control during landing. Contributing to the accident was the operator’s lack of oversight is allowing the airplane to be rented to the pilot.