# NTSB CEN24LA204: Tecnam P2010, N502U, Waco, TX, May 7, 2024

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: May 7, 2024, 17:17 UTC
- Place: Waco, TX · Grass alongside runway
- Coordinates: 31.618694, -97.225189 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.6187&lon=-97.2252&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - North Texas FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 194348
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN24LA204
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/194348/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194348
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA204

## Probable cause

The student pilot’s inadequate landing flare that led to a bounced landing, and his improper pitch control while he attempted a recovery from the bounced landing which resulted in a significant nose-down pitch attitude upon the second touchdown.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna P2010, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=0330402), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: pitch control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Incorrect use/operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna P2010, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022/cases.md?model=0330402), [All aircraft, 526 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna P2010, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=0330402), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090) (defining event); cases with it: [Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna P2010, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=0330402), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md)
- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna P2010, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md?model=0330402), [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md)
- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094); cases with it: [Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna P2010, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=0330402), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230); cases with it: [Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna P2010, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=0330402), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna P2010, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=0330402), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna P2010, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=0330402), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The student pilot was conducting a solo flight when the airplane landed hard, bounced, and then struck nose wheel first on the runway. The nose landing gear separated from the forward fuselage and the airplane veered left. The airplane then skidded off the left edge of the runway in a nose down attitude. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the forward fuselage structure and several engine tube mounts. The airplane operator reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Based on a review of recorded data, the student pilot did not maintain adequate pitch control during his attempted recovery from the bounced landing, which resulted in a significant nose-down pitch attitude upon the second touchdown.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N502U](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N502U), registered now, S/N 102/US, built 2019 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: TECNAM P2010
- Registry model: [Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna P2010](https://openairdocs.org/model/costruzioni-aeronautiche-tecna-p2010) (registry code 0330402) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-360-M1A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-m1a) (registry code 40891, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 102/US
- Year built: 2019
- Airframe hours: 2269
- Engines: Lycoming IO-360-M1A 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Universal Flight Concepts
- Registered owner: Tecnam US Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, April 16, 2024, 30 hours before
- Departed: ACT, Waco, TX
- Destination: ACT, Waco, TX
- Airport: ACT, Waco Regional Airport, runway 19, 7,107 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Auto-pilot, Data recorder, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, Onboard weather, Stall warning system, ADS-B, Angle of attack indicator

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 41; injuries: none; student; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review May 7, 2024; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 48 total, 48 in this make and model, 4 as pilot in command, 39 in the last 90 days, 9 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 190° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter: 29.64 inHg
- Observed at: KACT
- METAR: METAR KACT 072151Z 19011KT 10SM CLR 31/22 A2964 RMK AO2 SLP028 T03110222=

## 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 20240507010979A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240507010979A), May 7, 2024: Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna P2010, Waco, TX, Substantial damage. Aircraft [privacy data omitted] was landing runway 19 at act. At landing the nose gear seperated, causing the prop to strike runway. Aircraft slid on its nose,…

## Docket (7 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 21, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194348. 14.8 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 4.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18156439&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=01%20-%20NTSB%20Form%206120_1_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Statement (student pilot) (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 73 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18156769&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=02%20-%20Statement%20(Student%20Pilot)_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Statement (flight instructor) (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 88 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18156349&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=03%20-%20Statement%20(Flight%20Instructor)_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Recorded data (excerpt) (item 4, CSV, 157 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18156359&FileExtension=csv&FileName=04%20-%20Recorded%20Data%20(Excerpt)-Rel.csv
- Plots of recorded data (item 5, PDF, 4 pages, 7.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18156812&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=05%20-%20Plots%20of%20Recorded%20Data-Rel.pdf
- Meteorological data (item 6, PDF, 3 pages, 201 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18156948&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=06%20-%20Meteorological%20Data-Rel.pdf
- Investigation photographs (item 7, PDF, 7 pages, 6 photos, 1.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18156531&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=07%20-%20Investigation%20Photographs-Rel.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.

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