# NTSB BFO95LA036: Cessna 152, N757JQ, Oakland, MD, March 26, 1995

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: March 26, 1995, 10:15 local (15:15 UTC)
- Place: Oakland, MD
- Coordinates: 39.409183, -79.409744 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.4092&lon=-79.4097&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious
- Status: Completed, report November 6, 1995
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 9032
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=BFO95LA036
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/9032/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/BFO95LA036

## Probable cause

the student pilot's abrupt remedial action during the aborted landing attempt.  Related factors are the student pilot's lack of total experience,  inadequate airspeed and the low altitude.

## Sequence of events

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

- In flight collision with terrain/water, landing - aborted
  - airspeed - inadequate, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - remedial action - abrupt, pilot in command (cause)
  - lack of total experience, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - altitude - inadequate (contributing factor)

## Analysis

THE STUDENT PILOT REPORTED THAT THE AIRSPEED WAS LOW (40 KNOTS) AND THE STALL WARNING HORN ACTIVATED DURING AN ABORTED LANDING ATTEMPT.  IN RESPONSE, HE PLACED THE AIRCRAFT IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE WHILE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO TERRAIN.  THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND NOSE FIRST AND CAME TO REST INVERTED.  THE STUDENT PILOT REPORTED 23 HOURS TOTAL FLIGHT TIME.

## Factual narrative

On Sunday, March 26, 1995, at 1015 eastern standard time, a Cessna  152, N757JQ, operated as a solo instructional flight, collided with  a tree during an aborted landing attempt at Garrett County Airport,   near Oakland, Maryland. The student pilot, the sole occupant,  was  seriously injured and the airplane was destroyed.  Visual meteorological  conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed.  The flight was being  operated under 14  CFR Part 91, and originated from Oakland, Maryland,  exact time  unknown.

The student pilot had completed several landings with the certificated  flight instructor (CFI), and the CFI decided to approve the student pilot  for solo flight.  The student pilot completed three solo touch and go  landings and was landing to a full stop when the accident occurred.   According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector,  the  CFI witnessed the accident.  He reported that the airplane landed  hard, then bounced and seemed to "float".  The CFI stated that after  full power was applied the airplane pitched down and impacted  terrain left of the runway then nosed over.

The student pilot stated that at touchdown "...the front started to  shimmy ... I tried giving more power and pulled back on the yoke. It  did not help. I then decided to do a go around.... heard the stall buzzer  going off. I looked down, saw my speed was down to 40, so I tipped  my nose over to get my speed up..."  The aircraft impacted the ground  and came to rest inverted.  Post accident examination of the aircraft by  a FAA safety inspector revealed no anomalies.  The student pilot  reported 23 hours of total flight time.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N757JQ](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N757JQ-1995-05-03), registration cancelled 1995-05-03, S/N 15279780 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 152
- Registry model: [Cessna 152](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-152) (registry code 2071835) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 15279780
- Airframe hours: 5268
- Engines: LYCOMING O-235-L2C 110 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Registered owner: Ronald & Brenda Dolan
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility
- Last inspection: 100 hour, March 13, 1995, 18 hours before
- Departed: 2G4
- Airport: 2G4, Oakland Garrett County, runway 26, 3,000 × 75 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 50; student; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 23 total, 23 in this make and model, 1 as pilot in command, 23 in the last 90 days, 17 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 360° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 46 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: MGW, 27 nm away

## 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 19950326005389A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950326005389A), Mar 26, 1995: Cessna 152, Oakland, MD, Destroyed. Student pilot doing solo toch and gos ran off side of runway, nose stuck into ground, aircraft flipped over. (.4)the student pilot reported that the airspeed…

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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