# NTSB DEN90LA015: Cessna 152, N95975, Grand Forks, ND, October 24, 1989

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: October 24, 1989, 15:15 local (20:15 UTC)
- Place: Grand Forks, ND
- Coordinates: 47.920318, -97.069877 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.9203&lon=-97.0699&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report July 9, 1990
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 17863
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN90LA015
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/17863/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN90LA015

## Probable cause

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER FLARE AND IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING. THE WIND CONDITION WAS CONSIDERED TO BE A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.

## Sequence of events

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

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

## Analysis

AFTER RTRNG FROM A SOLO X-COUNTRY FLT, THE STUDENT PLT MADE AN APCH TO LAND ON RWY 17L. THE WIND WAS VARIABLE FROM 120 TO 180 DEG AT 19 KTS. THE PLT STATED THAT HE TURNED TO FINAL APCH & REALIZED HE WAS HIGH WITH THE WIND STRONGER THAN HE LIKED. HE EXTENDED FULL FLAPS & 'EASED BACK' POWER. THE APCH WAS STEEP & THE ACFT LANDED SOONER THAN THE PLT HAD EXPECTED. HE STATED THAT THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN AT AN ANGLE, BOUNCED TWICE, THEN STOPPED IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N95975](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N95975-1998-12-03), registration cancelled 1998-12-03, S/N 15285994 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 152
- Registry model: [Cessna 152](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-152) (registry code 2071835) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 15285994
- Engines: LYCOMING O-235-N2C 108 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: University Of North Dakota
- Registered owner: Unknown
- Departed: GPZ, GRAND RAPIDS, MN
- Destination: GFK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Airport: GFL, Mark Andrews, runway 17L, 3,900 × 75 ft, concrete

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 21; student; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; flight hours: 81 total, 81 in this make and model, 17 as pilot in command, 18 in the last 90 days, 12 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: variable at 19 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observed at: GFK

## 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 19891024043709A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19891024043709A), Oct 24, 1989: Cessna 152, Grand Forks, ND, Substantial damage. Bounced twice on landing, collapsed nose gear and bent propeller.

## Other investigations on N95975 (1)

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.

- [NTSB MKC89LA059](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MKC89LA059), Feb 13, 1989: Cessna 152 (N95975), Crookston, MN, substantial damage. Probable cause: PREMATURE RAISING OF FLAPS AND THE FAILURE OF THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT TO MAINTAIN RUNWAY ALIGNMENT DURING THE ATTEMPTED GO AROUND.

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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