# NTSB CHI94LA231: Cessna 150, N3639V, Alton, IL, July 17, 1994

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: July 17, 1994, 14:24 local (19:24 UTC)
- Place: Alton, IL
- Coordinates: 38.899753, -90.150047 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.8998&lon=-90.1500&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report February 24, 1995
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 9595
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI94LA231
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/9595/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI94LA231

## Probable cause

the student pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing.  A factor associated with the accident is the student pilot's misjudged landing flare.

## Sequence of events

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

- Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown
  - flare - misjudged, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - recovery from bounced landing - improper, pilot in command (cause)
- Nose gear collapsed, landing - flare/touchdown
  - landing gear,nose gear - overload

## Analysis

THE STUDENT PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING A FULL STOP LANDING AFTER A SERIES OF TOUCH-AND-GO LANDINGS. THE STUDENT'S FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WROTE IN HIS REPORT TO THE NTSB THAT THE STUDENT RELATED TO HIM IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE ACCIDENT THAT HE MADE A FULL FLAP APPROACH AND FAILED TO FLARE. THE AIRPLANE LANDED HARD, BOUNCED, LANDED HARD AGAIN, BOUNCED AGAIN, AND FINALLY LANDED HARD ON THE NOSEWHEEL, COLLAPSING THE NOSE GEAR.

## Factual narrative

On July 17, 1994, about 1424 central daylight time, a Cessna 150 airplane, N3639V, sustained substantial damage during a full stop landing at the St. Louis Regional Airport, Alton, Illinois.  The solo student pilot reported no injury.  The local, instructional flight operated without flight plan in visual meteorological conditions.

The student's flight instructor wrote in his report to the NTSB that the student had completed a series of touch-and-go landings, and was making a final, full stop, full flap landing.  The flight instructor said that the student told him immediately after the accident that he failed to flare, the airplane landed hard, bounced, landed hard again, bounced, and finally landed hard on the nosewheel, collapsing the nose gear.

No preimpact mechanical anomaly was reported or discovered during the postaccident inspection.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N3639V](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3639V-1995-03-21), registration cancelled 1995-03-21, S/N 15076572 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 150
- Registry model: [Cessna 150M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150m) (registry code 2071830) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 15076572
- Engines: CONTINENTAL O-200A 100 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Registered owner: Horizon Air Academy
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Special, Provisional (Special); Standard, Utility
- Airport: ALN, St. Louis Regional, runway 29, 8,100 × 50 ft, concrete

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 35 total, 35 in this make and model, 12 as pilot in command, 8 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 320° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 4,500 ft broken
- Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: ANL

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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