Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's improper flare resulting in a hard landing and a collapsed nose landing gear.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
On December 5,1999, about 0940 eastern standard time, a Cessna 152, N49328, registered to a private individual, operating as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, sustained substantial damage during a hard landing at Venice Municipal Airport, Venice, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from the same airport about 5 minutes before the accident.
According to the pilot, he had previously completed two touch-and-go landings and one full-stop landing to the same runway. On this particular landing, he stated he was slipping the aircraft to correct for a left crosswind, and his perception was that the main landing gear touched down hard almost simultaneously with nose gear touch down, followed by a right roll that caused a propeller and right wing tip strike of the runway. The airplane sustained a collapsed nose landing gear, damage to the right wing spar, propeller, and spinner.
According to an FAA inspector, the pilot stated to him that he misjudged the crosswind, resulting in his applying incorrect crosswind controls resulting in the hard landing. The hard landing caused deformation of the right wing spar and landing gear.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# MIA00LA042