- Date
- July 20, 2010, 19:45 local (23:45 UTC)
- Place
- Indian Head, MD
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4823BCessna 152
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 11, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20100720043229A
- Case key
- 76705
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's loss of control while landing in gusting crosswind conditions.
Findings · 5
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
According to the pilot, he received a weather briefing that stated there was a convective SIGMET (significant meteorological information) over the airport and the storm would be arriving in about one hour. After receiving the briefing, the pilot performed a preflight check on the airplane, and proceeded to take off on a local solo flight. The pilot stated that during different phases of each traffic pattern, he had difficulty due to the gusty wind conditions. After initiating a go-around on the original departure runway, the pilot elected to set up for a long approach to a different runway. While on final approach, the airplane encountered gusty conditions and the pilot attempted to compensate for a crosswind. During touchdown, the airplane bounced several times, overran the end of the runway, and collided with a small ditch resulting in damage to the firewall. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane. The recorded wind conditions about the time of the accident at an airport 8 miles away indicated a velocity of 10 knots, gusting to 18 knots.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, he received a weather briefing that stated there was a convective SIGMET (significant meteorological information) over the airport and the storm would be arriving in about one hour. After receiving the briefing, the pilot preflighted the airplane, and proceeded to take off of runway 18 on a local solo flight. The pilot stated that during different phases of each traffic pattern, he had a difficult time due to the gusty wind conditions. On final approach to runway 18, he realized that the airspeed and altitude of the airplane were too high and he initiated a go-around. The pilot stated that he recognized "the difficultly landing in gusty conditions" and requested assistance over the UNICOM frequency. A pilot, who was required to monitor the solo flight, advised the student pilot to fly away from the airport and set up for a long final approach to runway 36. On final approach, the pilot of the accident airplane stated that he "continued to encounter gusty conditions" and was advised to lower the left wing of the airplane to compensate for the crosswind. The pilot stated when the airplane first touched down, it was a "rough landing," and "the airplane bounced a few times." The airplane overran the end of the runway and hit a small ditch damaging the firewall. The pilot did not report any mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane. Winds, recorded at an airport 8 miles to the northwest about the time of the accident, were from 260 degrees at 10 knots, gusting to 18 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4823B
- Reported as
- Cessna 152
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15283656
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235 SERIES, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- 2W5 · Indian Head, MD
- Destination
- 2W5 · Indian Head, MD
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- 2W5 · Maryland Airport, runway 36, 3,000 × 50 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 26
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 35 total · 30 in this make and model · 3 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 10 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 9,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.03 inHg
- Observed at
- DAA, 8 nm away
Docket · 7
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 5, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.6 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.