Aviation Accident Summaries

Aviation Accident Summary FTW98LA147

CONWAY, AR, USA

Aircraft #1

N21915

Cessna 150L

Analysis

During the student pilot's first solo landing attempt, the aircraft touched down 'hard' on runway 18, bounced and impacted the runway with the nose landing gear, folding it aft. The aircraft came to a stop on the runway, resting on its main landing gear and engine cowling. The student pilot reported that 'everything seemed to appear good on approach until I felt a shift of wind veer me off the glide path. I felt I had enough altitude to salvage the landing, but evidently I did not.' The student reported that the wind was from the south at 10 knots. The student's flight instructor reported that the aircraft appeared to be stabilized on final approach, and the aircraft crossed the runway threshold at about 50 feet agl. As the aircraft crossed the threshold its wing dipped right and then left. The aircraft rounded out at about 6 feet in a level attitude, and then lost altitude quickly and touched down in a three point landing. The aircraft bounced back into the air, the nose dropped and struck the runway with the nose gear.

Factual Information

On March 13, 1998, at 1000 central standard time, a Cessna 150L airplane, N21915, owned and operated by a private owner doing business as Conway Flight Training, was substantially damaged during a landing at the Dennis F. Cantrell Field Airport near Conway, Arkansas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the Title 14 CFR Part 91 local supervised solo instructional flight. The student pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured. The 31 hour student pilot reported that this was her first supervised solo flight. During her first landing attempt, "everything seemed to appear good on approach until I felt a shift of wind veer me off the glide path. I felt I had enough altitude to salvage the landing, but evidently I did not." The aircraft touched down "hard" on runway 18, bounced and impacted the runway with the nose landing gear, folding it aft. The aircraft came to a stop on the runway, resting on its main landing gear and engine cowling. The student further reported that the wind was from the south at 10 knots. The student's flight instructor reported that the aircraft appeared to be stabilized on final approach, and the aircraft crossed the runway threshold at about 50 feet agl. As the aircraft crossed the threshold its wing dipped right and then left. The aircraft rounded out at about 6 feet in a level attitude, and then lost altitude quickly and touched down in a three point attitude. The aircraft bounced back into the air, the nose dropped and struck the runway with the nose gear, folding it aft. Examination of the aircraft by the FAA inspector revealed that the nose landing gear was separated, both propeller blade tips were bent aft, and the bottom of the firewall was buckled.

Probable Cause and Findings

The pilot's improper landing flare which resulted in a hard landing and her improper recovery procedures for a bounced landing.

 

Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database

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