# NTSB CHI03LA050: Cessna 152, N757LE, Traverse City, MI, January 8, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: January 8, 2003, 15:56 local (20:56 UTC) - Place: Traverse City, MI - Coordinates: 44.74139, -85.582221 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.7414&lon=-85.5822&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 30, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA-Grand Rapids, MI-FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 56317 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI03LA050 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/56317/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=56317 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI03LA050 ## Probable cause The student pilot's improper rerecovery from a bounced landing and his improper flare. Factors were the gusting crosswinds, the misjudged flare and the collapse of the nose landing gear. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare - misjudged, pilot in command (contributing factor) - weather condition - gusts (contributing factor) - recovery from bounced landing - improper, pilot in command (cause) - weather condition - crosswind (contributing factor) - Nose gear collapsed, landing - elevator - improper use of, pilot in command (cause) - landing gear,nose gear strut - collapsed (contributing factor) ## Analysis The airplane bounced upon the third landing attempt, and the nose landing gear collapsed. The student pilot reported he misjudged the flare. After the bounce, he improperly pushed the yoke forward in an attempt to get the airplane landed. The weather reports show that during the previous hour, the wind speed increased from 8 knots to 12 knots gusting to 18 knots. ## Factual narrative On January 8, 2003, at 1556 eastern standard time, a Cessna 152, N757LE, operated my Northwest Michigan College, and piloted by a student pilot, sustained substantial damage during landing on runway 18 (5,107 feet by 150 feet, asphalt), at the Cherry Capital Airport, Traverse City, Michigan. The 14 CFR Part 91 solo instructional flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The student pilot was not injured. The local flight originated about 1445. The pilot reported that on his first attempt to land, he was blown to the left of the runway and he executed a go-around. The pilot further reported that on his second landing attempt, he landed hard due to the gusty crosswind and he performed an aborted landing. The pilot said that he was "feeling a bit panicky about [his] ability to get the plane sefely down." He reported that, during his third landing attempt , the airplane again bounced, "probably from misjudging the flare and trying to maintain the crosswind correction." He stated that he "incorrectly pushed the yoke forward" after the bounce. The airplane's nose landing gear impacted the runway and collapsed. The weather reporting station located at the accident airport recorded the wind as: Observation time: 1353 Wind direction: 210 degrees Wind speed: 7 knots Observation time: 1453 Wind direction: 190 degrees Wind speed: 8 knots Observation time: 1553 Wind direction: 210 degrees Wind speed: 12 knots gusting to 18 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N757LE](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N757LE-2007-10-17), registration cancelled 2007-10-17, S/N 15279818, built 1977 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 152 - 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: 15279818 - Airframe hours: 11563.6 - Engines: Lycoming O-235L2C 110 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Northwestern Michigan College - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, October 24, 2002, 41.4 hours before - Departed: TVC, Traverse City, MI - Airport: TVC, Cherry Capital Airport, runway 18, 5,107 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 46; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 23 total, 22 in this make and model, 6 as pilot in command, 19 in the last 90 days, 7 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 220° at 12 knots, gusting 18 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 48 °F, dew point 30 °F - Altimeter: 29.07 inHg - Observed at: TVC ## 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 20030108000389A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030108000389A), Jan 8, 2003: Cessna 152, Traverse City, MI, Substantial damage. (-23) Student pilot on solo training flight lost control of aircraft during landing. [privacy data omitted] ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 30, 2003, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=56317. 390 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 390 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40392050&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-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.