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GAA16CA407

2016-08-01 · Scappoose, Oregon, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport SPB

Current FAA registration · N49276

Make / Model
CESSNA 152
Year of manufacture
1977 · 39 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING 0-235 SERIES (115 hp)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19780208
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A61AF2

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The student pilot's failure to maintain pitch control during the landing flare in gusty crosswind conditions, which resulted in a hard landing/abnormal runway contact, a partial nose wheel collapse and substantial damage to the firewall.

Factual narrative

The solo student pilot reported that during the third landing of his first solo, the airplane was a "little high" on final approach. He further reported that during the landing flare, the right wing was lifted by a crosswind and the airplane bounced nose wheel first on the runway. Subsequently, the nose wheel partially collapsed, the propeller struck the runway, and the airplane skidded to a stop on the runway. The firewall sustained substantial damage. The student pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observing system (AWOS) at the airport about 7 minutes before the accident recorded the wind at 020 degrees true at 11 knots, gusting to 15 knots. The AWOS at the airport about 53 minutes after the accident recorded the wind at 330 degrees true at 8 knots. The student pilot reported that the landing was on runway 33. The solo student pilot reported that during the third landing of his first solo, the airplane was a "little high" on final approach. He further reported that during the landing flare, the right wing was lifted by a crosswind and the airplane bounced nose wheel first on the runway. Subsequently, the nose wheel partially collapsed, the propeller struck the runway, and the airplane skidded to a stop on the runway. The firewall sustained substantial damage. The student pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observing system (AWOS) at the airport about 7 minutes before the accident recorded the wind at 020 degrees true at 11 knots, gusting to 15 knots. The AWOS at the airport about 53 minutes after the accident recorded the wind at 330 degrees true at 8 knots. The student pilot reported that the landing was on runway 33. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Student/instructed pilot - C
  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Pitch control-Not attained/maintained - C
  • — Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Crosswind-Ability to respond/compensate
  • — Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Gusts-Ability to respond/compensate

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2016_GAA16CA407.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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