# NTSB ATL06CA020: Cessna 152, N46555, Sanford, NC, November 30, 2005

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: November 30, 2005, 14:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place: Sanford, NC
- Coordinates: 35.58361, -79.10028
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.5836&lon=-79.1003&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report February 28, 2006
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Parties: Greensboro FSD-05
- NTSB case key (mKey): 62906
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL06CA020
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/62906/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL06CA020

## Probable cause

The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control on landing roll out, resulting in the airplane going off the left side of the runway, colliding with a ditch, and nosing over inverted.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll
  - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
- On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll
  - terrain condition - ditch
- Nose over, landing - roll

## Analysis

The student pilot was descending into the traffic pattern and the airplane collided with a bird on the leading edge of the left wing. The pilot continued the approach and flared over the runway. The left wing dropped down and the airplane touched down on the left main landing gear, bounced back into the air, and came back down on the runway. The airplane started veering to the left on the landing roll, and the student pilot lost directional control of the airplane. The airplane went off the left side of the runway into the grass, collided with a ditch, and nosed over inverted. Both wings and the firewall received substantial damage. The student pilot stated she did not experience any mechanical problems with the airplane before the accident.

## Factual narrative

The student pilot was descending into the traffic pattern and the airplane collided with a bird on the leading edge of the left wing. The pilot continued the approach and flared over the runway. The left wing dropped down and the airplane touched down on the left main landing gear, bounced back into the air, and came back down on the runway. The airplane started veering to the left on the landing roll, and the student pilot lost directional control of the airplane. The airplane went off the left side of the runway into the grass, collided with a ditch, and nosed over inverted. Both wings and the firewall received substantial damage. The student pilot stated she did not experience any mechanical problems with the airplane before the accident.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N46555 (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: Cessna 152
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 15283073
- Airframe hours: 8295
- Engines: Lycoming O-235 110 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Chapel Hill Flying Club Inc.
- Registered owner: Chapel Hill Flying Club Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, August 1, 2005, 176 hours before
- Departed: TTA, Sanford, CA

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Student pilot; age 54; injuries: none; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 102 total, 102 in this make and model, 5 as pilot in command

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 240° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter: 30.35 inHg
- Observed at: RDU

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20051130029489A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20051130029489A), Nov 30, 2005: Cessna 152, Sanford, NC, Substantial damage. (-23) During a daytime solo flight, airman was maneuvering to enter the traffic pattern to rwy 3 at taa at an altitude of 1750 feet AGL. The aircraft struck a…

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.

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