# NTSB CHI95LA009: Cessna 152, N69187, Bloomington, IL, October 10, 1994 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 10, 1994, 11:12 local (16:12 UTC) - Place: Bloomington, IL - Coordinates: 40.469684, -88.970809 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.4697&lon=-88.9708&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 27, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 9775 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI95LA009 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/9775/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI95LA009 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control while landing. Factors associated with the accident were the improper landing flare and the pilot's lack of total experience. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, landing - flare/touchdown - flare - improper, pilot in command (contributing factor) - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - lack of total experience, pilot in command (contributing factor) - In flight collision with terrain/water, landing - flare/touchdown - Nose gear collapsed, landing - flare/touchdown - landing gear,nose gear - overload ## Analysis THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON THE STUDENT PILOT'S FIRST SOLO FLIGHT. HE STATED THAT DURING LANDING, THE AIRPLANE BALLOONED, VEERED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND CONTACTED THE TERRAIN IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. ## Factual narrative On October 10, 1994, at 1112 central daylight time, a Cessna 152, N69187, registered to Clark Aviation, Inc., experienced a nose gear collapse following a hard landing on runway 03 at the Bloomington Normal Airport, Bloomington, Illinois. The student pilot was not injured. The 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight was not operating on a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated from Bloomington, Illinois, on October 10, 1994, at 1000 cdt. The accident occurred during the student pilot's first solo flight. The pilot stated he was in the traffic pattern for runway 03 when the tower instructed him that he was number two for landing. He stated he made some adjustments in the pattern and was in "good alignment" for landing. He reported he reduced the engine power to idle just over the end of the runway and started to flare at 55 to 60 knots indicated airspeed. He stated that during the flare the nose of the airplane rose up and the airplane gained 15 to 20 feet in altitude. He reported, "I maintained my control inputs waiting for the plane to settle to the runway. The nose started down a bit too fast so I pulled some back pressure on the elevator to keep the nose wheel from hitting the ground." He stated that at this time the airplane ballooned and veered to the left of the runway. He stated he attempted to put the main gear back on the runway while holding the nose wheel off, but the airplane bounced and came to rest nose down off the left side of the runway. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N69187](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N69187), registered now, S/N 15285347, built 1981 (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: 15285347 - Airframe hours: 5940 - Engines: Lycoming O-235-L2C 112 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Clark Aviation, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility - Last inspection: 100 hour, September 16, 1994, 34 hours before - Departed: BMI - Destination: BMI - Airport: BMI, Bloomington-Normal, runway 3, 3,720 × 100 ft, concrete ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 34; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 14 total, 12 in this make and model, 14 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 50° at 8 knots - Visibility: 20 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 54 °F, dew point 36 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: BMI ## 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 19941010038019A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19941010038019A), Oct 10, 1994: Cessna 152, Bloomington-Nor, IL, Substantial damage. Ballooned and bounced on landing. Impact with runway collapsed nose gear. 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.