CHI96LA254

The student pilot reported he allowed the airplane to become too slow while on short final approach and the crosswind drifted the airplane to the left of the runway. He stated he overcorrected and the airplane drifted right of the runway during the landing flare. He stated he flared too 'aggressively' and the airplane touched down on all three landing gear prior to bouncing back into the air. The airplane then contacted the terrain off the left side of the runway.

On July 25, 1996, at 1547 central daylight time, a Cessna 150, N6106K, operated by Chartaire, Inc., and flown by a student pilot collided with the terrain following a loss of control during a landing flare. The landing was being made on runway 31 at the Dubuque Regional Airport, Dubuque, Iowa. The 14 CFR Part 91 solo instructional flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The pilot was not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight originated at the Dubuque Regional Airport at 1530 cdt.

The student pilot reported that while on short final he allowed the airplane to get too slow and the crosswind (350 degrees at 11 knots) caused the airplane to drift to the left. He stated he overcorrected with the rudder and the airplane drifted right. He stated he attempted to correct back to the left but by this time he was in the middle of the landing flare. He stated he flared the airplane too "aggressively" and it landed hard on all three wheels. The airplane bounced into the air and settled again off the left side of the runway.

The pilot reported, "The proper corrective action should have been to have increased my power and simply stretch the landing. I knew this immediately following the accident and was taught this during my training."

The accident occurred during the student pilot's second solo flight. He had performed three solo landings on the previous day and one just prior to the accident.