N170SU

On February 28, 2003, at 1121 eastern standard time, a Cessna 152, N170SU, was substantially damaged during landing at the Ohio State University Airport (OSU), Columbus, Ohio. The certificated flight instructor (CFI) and student pilot were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that originated at OSU. No flight plan had been filed for the instructional flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

According to the CFI, they had been performing touch and go landings to runway 27R, which was 2,994 feet long and 100 feet wide. During the accident approach, the student had set 20 degrees of flaps and established 62 knots of indicated airspeed. The CFI observed the airplane descend below the "glidepath," and instructed the student pilot to add power. After a few seconds, the student added about 50 rpms of power, and the CFI told the student to add more power. When the student didn't respond, the CFIs attempted to add power himself; however, the student's hand remained over the throttle, and he was unable to add power. The CFI then started to flare the airplane for landing.

The airplane touched down about 20 feet prior to the runway in snow, where it pitched forward on its nose, and the nose gear collapsed. The airplane came to rest about 30 feet beyond the approach end of the runway.

A weather observation taken at 1125, included clam winds.