# Accident 20240922020029A: Cessna 150J, Erie, PA, September 22, 2024 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: September 22, 2024, 09:30 local time - Place: Erie, PA - Airport: Erie International Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 42.0828° N, 80.1731° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.0828&lon=-80.1731&mi=10 - Aircraft: N61232, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N61232) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 150J (registry code 2071820, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150j) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Continental 0-200 series (registry code 17020, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 150J - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Flight instructor - Pilot flight hours: 317 total, 62 in this make and model, 78 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA24LA389](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA389) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240922020029A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ON SEPTEMBER 22, 2024, AT THE ERIE/TOM RIDGE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (ERI) A CESSNA 150 WAS BEING OPERATED UNDER PART §91 FOR A PART §61 INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT. A CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI) AND A STUDENT PILOT WERE ONBOARD AT THE TIME OF THE OCCURRENCE. THE CFI STATED THAT HE WAS PROVIDING INSTRUCTION TO A LOW TIME STUDENT PILOT. THIS WAS HIS SECOND FLIGHT WITH THE STUDENT AND THIS STUDENT WAS RECEIVING PRIMARY INSTRUCTION FROM ANOTHER CFI. THE WEATHER ON THE DAY OF THE OCCURRENCE WAS GOOD WITH CALM WINDS. THEY BRIEFED PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT AND DEPARTED ERI FOR THE PRACTICE AREA TO CONDUCT A FEW MANEUVERS. AFTER ABOUT 45 OR 60 MINUTES THEY RETURNED TO ERI TO CONDUCT LANDING AND TAKEOFF PRACTICE. THEY CONDUCTED FOUR (4) VISUAL APPROACHES TO RUNWAY 24. THE FIRST WAS A REJECTED LANDING DUE TO AN EARLY TURN ONTO FINAL. THE SECOND APPROACH WAS REJECTED DUE TO BEING TOO HIGH ON THE GLIDE PATH TO THE RUNWAY. THE THIRD APPROACH WAS A SUCCESSFUL TOUCH AND GO. THE FOURTH APPROACH WAS ON A NORMAL GLIDE PATH BUT LANDED FLAT WITH A SMALL BOUNCE. THE CFI STATED THE AIRCRAFT'S NOSE SHIFTED ABOUT FIVE DEGREES LEFT AND SIDE LOADED AS IT MADE THE SECOND CONTACT WITH THE RUNWAY SURFACE. WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE AIRCRAFT CONFIGURATION AND IF ANY CORRECTIONS HAD BEEN APPLIED THE AIRMEN STATED THAT THE FLAPS WERE POSITIONED AT TWENTY (20) DEGREES AND POWER WAS SET AT 1700 RPMS ON FINAL. ON OCTOBER 7, 2024, THE STUDENT WAS INTERVIEWED BY INSPECTORS OF THIS OFFICE WHICH WAS CONSISTENT WITH THE CFI'S STATEMENT. ON OCTOBER 18, 2024, AN ONSITE VISIT WAS MADE TO THE FLIGHT TRAINING CENTER TO VIEW SECURITY VIDEO OF THE OCCURRENCE. THE VIDEO SHOWED THE APPROACH THROUGH TO THE FINAL RESTING SPOT OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE APPROACH WAS NORMAL WITH NOSE LOW UNTIL THE FIRST CONTACT WAS MADE WITH THE RUNWAY SURFACE AT THE AIMING POINT (1000') OF RUNWAY 24. THE AIRCRAFT PORPOISE WITH AN ABRUPT NOSE DOWN CORRECTION RESULTING IN A SECOND CONTACT WITH THE RUNWAY SURFACE. THE MAIN LANDING GEAR MADE CONTACT AS THE NOSE GEAR BEGAN TO COLLAPSE. THE AIRCRAFT VEERED TO THE LEFT OF CENTERLINE ON THE NOSE COWLING UNTIL REACHING THE EDGE OF THE RUNWAY SURFACE. THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO FLIP INVERTED BUT RETURNED TO AN UPRIGHT POSITION. THE STUDENT AND CFI WERE UNINJURED. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE NOSE SECTION AND RIGHT-WING LEADING EDGE. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB ERA24LA389](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA389), Sep 22, 2024: Cessna 150 (N61232), Erie, PA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot’s improper landing flare and subsequent improper recovery from a bounced landing and the flight instructor’s inadequate remedial action. ## Other reports on N61232 (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 19970623021059I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970623021059I), Jun 23, 1997: Cessna 150J (N61232), Caldwell, NJ, Minor damage. Trying land gusty crosswind. Lifted pitched down. Nose gear seperated. Crosswind component exceeded. From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.