# NTSB ERA10CA218: Cessna 150G, N4655X, Winter Haven, FL, April 4, 2010

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: April 4, 2010, 16:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place: Winter Haven, FL
- Coordinates: 28.062778, -81.753334 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.0628&lon=-81.7533&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report August 12, 2010
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 75689
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA10CA218
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/75689/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=75689
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10CA218

## Probable cause

The student pilot's inadequate recovery from a bounced landing in gusting winds.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 150G, 17 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2071816), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 150G, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md?model=2071816), [All aircraft, 1,269 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 150G, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=2071816), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The student pilot completed his first solo flight the day prior to the accident. On the day of the accident, the student pilot was completing another solo flight in the traffic pattern. During his third landing on runway 5, the airplane bounced once, then landed again and collapsed the nose landing gear. The airplane came to rest on the runway and sustained damage to the firewall. No mechanical malfunctions or failures were reported by the student pilot. The recorded wind at the airport, about the time of the accident, was from 040 degrees at 4 knots, gusting to 16 knots.

## Factual narrative

The student pilot completed his first solo flight during the day prior to the accident. On the day of the accident, the student pilot was completing another solo flight in the traffic pattern. During his third landing on runway 5, the airplane bounced once, then landed again and collapsed the nose landing gear. The airplane came to rest on the runway and sustained damage to the firewall. No mechanical malfunctions or failures were reported by the student pilot. The recorded wind at the airport, about the time of the accident, was from 040 degrees at 4 knots, gusting to 16 knots.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N4655X](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4655X), registered now, S/N 15064705 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 150G
- Registry model: [Cessna 150G](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150g) (registry code 2071816) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental 0-200 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (registry code 17020, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 15064705
- Airframe hours: 7186
- Engines: CONT MOTOR O-200 SERIES 100 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Tailwheels Etc Inc.
- Registered owner: 55xray Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, March 21, 2010
- Departed: GIF, Winter Haven, FL
- Destination: GIF, Winter Haven, FL
- Airport: GIF, Winter Haven's Gilbert Airport, runway 05, 5,005 × 100 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Student pilot; age 54; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 34 total, 34 in this make and model, 4 as pilot in command

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 40° at 4 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observed at: GIF

## 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 20100404031319A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100404031319A), Apr 4, 2010: Cessna 150G, Winter Haven, FL, Substantial damage. On April 04, 2010, aircraft N4655X, serial number 15064705, nose landing gear collapsed shortly after landing on runway 04. Inspection of the aircraft…

## Other investigations on N4655X (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 CHI97LA064](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI97LA064), Feb 1, 1997: Cessna 150G (N4655X), Dowagiac, MI, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's failure to maintain directional control. A factor was the snowbank.

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 6, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=75689.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40329456&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF
- Interview Summary (item 2, .PDF): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40329458&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Interview%20Summary-Master.PDF
- Weather Report (item 3, .PDF): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40329486&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Report-Master.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.

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