# NTSB CEN13LA209: Cessna 152, N48693, College Station, TX, March 26, 2013 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 26, 2013, 14:30 local (19:30 UTC) - Place: College Station, TX - Coordinates: 30.588054, -96.361114 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.5881&lon=-96.3611&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 24, 2014 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration, Cessna Aircraft Company - NTSB case key (mKey): 86533 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN13LA209 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/86533/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=86533 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13LA209 ## Probable cause The failure of the nose landing gear fork during landing due to fatigue. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Landing gear system: nose/tail landing gear](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023220): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Fatigue/wear/corrosion (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 152, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023220/cases.md?model=2071835), [All aircraft, 185 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023220/cases.md) - [Landing gear system: nose/tail landing gear](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023220): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 152, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023220/cases.md?model=2071835), [All aircraft, 185 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023220/cases.md) - [Wind: gusts](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Not specified; cases with it: [Cessna 152, 14 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md?model=2071835), [All aircraft, 1,199 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-landing roll: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 152, 32 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=2071835), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) ## Analysis The student pilot performed two touch-and-go landings without incident. During the third landing, the airplane touched down on the main landing gear, and, as the pilot brought the airplane's nose down, the nosewheel collapsed. A postaccident examination of the failed nose landing gear fork revealed that the final overload fracture of the fork started at a fatigue crack at the upper shoulder of the fork, which had propagated for a period of time before the final fracture. The material used to manufacture the fork met the specified engineering requirements. ## Factual narrative On March 26, 2013, about 1430 central daylight time, a Cessna 152 airplane, N48693, had its nose landing gear fork fail during landing on runway 34 (7,000 feet by 146 feet, dry grooved asphalt/concrete) at the Easterwood Field Airport (CLL), near College Station, Texas. The solo student pilot, who was the only occupant, was uninjured. The airplane sustained substantial firewall damage. The airplane was registered to and operated by Central Texas Flight Training Inc. under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as an instructional flight. Day visual flight rules (VFR) conditions prevailed for the flight, which was not operated on a VFR flight plan. The flight originated from the Draughon-Miller Central Texas Regional Airport (TPL), near Temple, Texas, about 1300. The student pilot indicated that he had flown the airplane from TPL and had performed two touch and go landings at CLL without incident. During the third landing, the airplane touched down on the main landing gear and as he brought the airplane's nose down, the nose impacted the runway. The student pilot exited the airplane and observed that the nose wheel collapsed. At 1453, the recorded weather at CLL was: Wind 360 degrees at 11 knots gusting to 16 knots; visibility 10 statute miles; sky condition clear; temperature 16 degrees C; dew point -4 degrees C; altimeter 30.40 inches of mercury. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector examined and removed the broken nose landing gear fork, part number 0442503-7. That fork was shipped to a FAA airworthiness specialist in Wichita, Kansas, who oversaw an examination of the fork at a Cessna materials laboratory. The examination, in part, revealed that the final overload fracture of the fork started at a fatigue crack at the upper shoulder of the fork, which had propagated for a period of time prior to the final fracture. Another fatigue crack was also observed on the upper shoulder at the other side of the fork. This crack had not propagated to a critical length and did not break off during the final overload fracture. The material used to manufacture the fork met the fork's specified engineering requirements. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N48693](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N48693-2018-01-08), registration cancelled 2018-01-08, S/N 15283362, built 1979 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 152 (NO SERIES) - Registry model: [Cessna 152](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-152) (registry code 2071835) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-235 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (registry code 41505, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 15283362 - Year built: 1979 - Airframe hours: 11247 - Engines: LYCOMING O-235-L2C 110 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Central Texas Flight Training Inc - Registered owner: Central Texas Flight Training Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, March 12, 2013 - Departed: TPL, Temple, TX - Destination: CLL, College Station, TX - Flight plan: Unknown - Airport: CLL, Easterwood Field, runway 34, 7,000 × 146 ft, concrete ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 38; injuries: none; student; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 36 total, 36 in this make and model, 7 as pilot in command, 36 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 360° at 11 knots, gusting 16 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 25 °F - Altimeter: 30.39 inHg - Observed at: CLL ## 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 20130326004479A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130326004479A), Mar 26, 2013: Cessna 152, College Station, TX, Substantial damage. During a student solo cross country, the PIC was completing the third landing of three at Easterwood Field. The nose landing gear fork failed at touchdown.… ## Other investigations on N48693 (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 NYC97LA042](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC97LA042), Jan 12, 1997: Cessna 152 (N48693), Marlboro, NJ, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's improper flare and improper recovery from a bounced landing, which resulted in a hard landing and collapse of the nose gear. A factor relating to the accident was: the pilot's failure to… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 20, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=86533. 961 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 599 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40389615&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Miscellaneous - N number correction for the 6102.1 (item 2, .PDF, 52 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40389617&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Miscellaneous%20-%20N%20number%20correction%20for%20the%206102.1-Master.PDF - Miscellaneous - Communication Summary (item 3, .PDF, 81 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40405542&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Miscellaneous%20-%20Communication%20Summary-Master.PDF - Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation (item 4, .PDF, 229 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40389613&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20Party%20Representatives%20to%20NTSB%20Investigation-Redacted.PDF 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. --- 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.