NTSB CAROL · Event
Event GAA16CA398
Registry · N4702P
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
CESSNA 152
Year of manufacture
1980 · 36 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING 0-235 SERIES (115 hp)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19801216
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A5C3C6
Registrant of record
WINGS OVER TEXAS HOLDINGS LLC
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
The student pilot's improper approach descent rate and landing flare attitude, which resulted in a hard landing and collapse of the nose landing gear.
Factual narrative
The student pilot reported that during his third supervised solo landing, the airplane touched down hard in a level attitude and bounced. The student pilot further reported that the airplane bounced three times and the nose wheel collapsed. A post-accident examination by a mechanic, revealed that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall. The student pilot's instructor reported that from the airport control tower he observed the student pilot touch down fast, bounce the airplane three times, and the nose landing gear collapsed. The student pilot reported that there were no pre impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The student pilot reported that during his third supervised solo landing, the airplane touched down hard in a level attitude and bounced. The student pilot further reported that the airplane bounced three times and the nose wheel collapsed. A post-accident examination by a mechanic, revealed that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall. The student pilot's instructor reported that from the airport control tower he observed the student pilot touch down fast, bounce the airplane three times, and the nose landing gear collapsed. The student pilot reported that there were no pre impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12
NTSB Findings
Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or F (Factor).
- C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Landing flare-Not attained/maintained - C
- C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Student/instructed pilot - C
- C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Descent/approach/glide path-Not attained/maintained - C
- C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Pitch control-Not attained/maintained - C
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_2016_GAA16CA398.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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Related research
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Academic papers and agency reports matching this event's aircraft type. Sourced from NASA NTRS, NTSB Safety Studies, FAA CAMI, AOPA Air Safety Institute, Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons, arXiv, and the Semantic Scholar academic graph.
- NASA NTRS 2021 · Poster
Sleep, Sleepiness, and Performance Across Three In-Flight Bunk Rest Opportunities
Introduction: Airline pilots are required to take a rest break in a bunk during long-haul flights in an effort to reduce sleepiness during critical phases of flight.
- Semantic Scholar 2020 · Article (Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy)
Routine opioid outcome monitoring in community pharmacy: Outcomes from an open-label single-arm implementation-effectiveness pilot study.
BACKGROUND In response to rising harms with prescription opioids, recent attention has focused on how to better utilise community pharmacists to monitor outcomes with opioid medicines.
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2011 · Journal article (JAAER)
System Safety Study: Pedagogical Aviation Action Research
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