CHI00LA140

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 152 · Goshen, IN · May 22, 2000

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
May 22, 2000, 13:50 local (18:50 UTC)
Place
Goshen, IN
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Takeoff
Aircraft
N68182Cessna 152
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report May 17, 2001
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
20000522036409A
Case key
49256

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

the failure of the student pilot to maintain directional control on the takeoff roll. Factors to the accident were the lack of experience of the student pilot and the improper use of the throttle.

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

Loss of control - on ground/waterTakeoff - roll/run
Directional control - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Lack of experiencePilot in commandFactor
Touch-and-go - attemptedPilot in command
Throttle/power control - improper use ofPilot in commandFactor
On ground/water collision with objectLanding - roll
On ground/water encounter with terrain/waterLanding - roll
Nose overLanding - roll

Analysis

During a first solo flight, the student pilot lost directional control of the aircraft, hit a runway light, and nosed over during an attempted touch and go. The student pilot described the accident as, 'I put in full power then wind started to blow from the right and I started to move to the left because of wind and p factor. I stomped on right rudder to correct for the problem and the plane started to skip so I let go and then it turned left in to grass. It was fine until I hit a ramp in the grass and launched the plane up, but it did not have enough airspeed to take off, so the plane went down and hit on the nose and flipped it. I should have pulled power but I panicked.'

Factual narrative

On May 22, 2000, at 1350 eastern standard time, a Cessna 152, N68182, owned and operated by Goshen Air Center, Inc., piloted by a student pilot, sustained substantial damage during an attempted touch and go on runway 27 (5,001 feet by 75 feet, dry asphalt) at the Goshen Municipal Airport, Goshen, Indiana. The aircraft collided with a runway light, the ground, and subsequently nosed over following a loss of directional control. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The solo/instructional flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 and was not on a flight plan. The student pilot, the sole occupant, reported no injuries. The local flight departed Goshen Municipal Airport, Goshen, Indiana, at 1345.

According to the instructor's written statement, "I told my student to fly solo. He was told before I got out of the airplane to do full stop landings. He proceeded to takeoff and had a great pattern and landing. Once he was on the ground I told him over a portable radio to come in and back taxi for another takeoff. At the same time I heard the power was being applied for a touch and go."

According to the student pilot's written statement, "I had perfectly good control of the airplane on crosswind, downwind, base, final and landing. I put in full power then wind started to blow from the right and I started to move to the left because of wind and p factor. I stomped on right rudder to correct for the problem and the plane started to skip so I let go and then it turned left in to grass. It was fine until I hit a ramp in the grass and launched the plane up, but it did not have enough airspeed to take off, so the plane went down and hit on the nose and flipped it. I should have pulled power but I panicked."

According to the student's logbook, the accident happened on the first landing on the student's first solo flight.

Aircraft

Registration
N68182
Reported as
Cessna 152
Category
Airplane
Serial number
15282165
Airframe hours
5,962
Engine
Lycoming O-235-L2C, 110 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Registered owner
Goshen Air Center Inc
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
Last inspection
100 hour · May 3, 2000 · 40 hours before
Departed
GSH
Airport
GSH · Goshen Municipal Airport, runway 27, 5,001 × 75 ft, asphalt

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
19
Certificate
Student
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat
Left
Flight hours
18 total · 18 in this make and model

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
210° at 10 knots
Visibility
9 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
66 °F, dew point 57 °F
Altimeter
29.00 inHg
Observed at
GSH

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.