Aviation Accident Summaries

Aviation Accident Summary NYC96LA060

MATTITUCK, NY, USA

Aircraft #1

N757PS

Cessna 152

Analysis

This was the student pilot's third solo flight outside of the traffic pattern to practice airwork in the local area. He was not authorized to fly solo to other airports. After takeoff he elected to practice takeoffs and landings at the another airport. A witness at the airport observed the airplane when it was about 3/4 of the distance down the 2,200-foot runway. The airplane was about 100 feet above the ground performing a go-around. He next observed the airplane a few minutes later during a landing roll-out. The airplane was still moving fast about 3/4 of the distance down the runway, when it went off of the end of the runway and collided with a 3-foot-high snow bank. Examination of the runway revealed skid marks that extended along the last 450 feet of the runway. The last 150 feet of skid marks showed signs of a deflated right main tire. Winds at an airport 10 miles to the southwest were reported to be from 220 degrees at 12 knots. The student pilot had accumulated approximately 40 hours of total flight experience, of which about 8 hours were solo flight.

Factual Information

On February 7, 1996, at 0930 eastern standard time, a Cessna 152, N757PS, was substantially damaged after landing at the Mattituck Airbase Airport, Mattituck, New York. The student pilot received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the solo flight that originated at Brookhaven, New York. No flight plan had been filed for the flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. According to the manager of the student pilot's (SP) flight school, the SP had been signed off for local airwork only, and was not authorized to fly solo to other airports. This was the SP's third solo flight outside of the traffic pattern to practice airwork in the local area. The SP departed the Brookhaven Airport, and elected to practice takeoffs and landings at the Mattituck Airbase Airport (21N). A witness at 21N observed the airplane when it was about 3/4 of the distance down runway 01, a 2,200 foot runway. The airplane was about 100 feet above the ground performing a go-around. He watched the airplane continue in a climbing left turn, and then lost sight of it. He next observed the airplane a few minutes later during a landing roll-out. Again the airplane was about 3/4 of the distance down the runway. The witness stated that the airplane was still moving fast when it went straight off of the end of the runway, and collided with a 3-foot-high snow bank. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector's report stated that examination of the runway revealed skid marks that extended along the last 450 feet of the runway. The inspector also stated, "Last 50 yards of skid marks were off the runway and showed signs of a deflated right main tire." The report further stated that a police officer pilot reported the runway condition to be clean and dry. The winds at an airport 10 miles to the southwest of 21N were reported to be from 220 degrees at 12 knots. The SP had accumulated approximately 40 hours of total flight experience, of which about 8 hours were solo.

Probable Cause and Findings

the student pilot's inadequate inflight decision and inadequate evaluation of the weather which resulted in a downwind landing and runway overrun. The student pilot's failure to follow directives was a contributing factor.

 

Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database

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