Summary
On May 29, 2008, a Cessna CE-152 (N4789P) was involved in an incident near Castroville, TX. All 1 person aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: An improper flare during landing. Contributing to the accident was a porpoise induced oscillation.
The 44 hour student pilot was on his second solo flight when the airplane bounced during a hard landing on runway 15. The airplane bounced three times with each bounce harder than the previous bounce. After the third bounce the airplane landed nose gear first, the propeller struck the runway, and the nose gear collapsed. There was substantial damage to the forward firewall, but no injuries to the solo pilot. The instructor pilot witnessed the accident and reported the winds as light and variable.
This incident is documented in NTSB report DFW08CA162. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N4789P.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
An improper flare during landing. Contributing to the accident was a porpoise induced oscillation.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
The 44 hour student pilot was on his second solo flight when the airplane bounced during a hard landing on runway 15. The airplane bounced three times with each bounce harder than the previous bounce. After the third bounce the airplane landed nose gear first, the propeller struck the runway, and the nose gear collapsed. There was substantial damage to the forward firewall, but no injuries to the solo pilot. The instructor pilot witnessed the accident and reported the winds as light and variable.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# DFW08CA162