# NTSB ERA24LA389: Cessna 150, N61232, Erie, PA, September 22, 2024 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: September 22, 2024, 09:30 local (13:30 UTC) - Place: Erie, PA - Coordinates: 42.082828, -80.173058 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.0828&lon=-80.1731&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: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 195160 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA24LA389 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/195160/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=195160 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA389 ## Probable cause The student pilot’s improper landing flare and subsequent improper recovery from a bounced landing and the flight instructor’s inadequate remedial action. ## 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 150J, 13 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2071820), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 150J, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=2071820), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md) - [Action: lack of action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 150J, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030/cases.md?model=2071820), [All aircraft, 792 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030/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 150J, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=2071820), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090); cases with it: [Cessna 150J, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=2071820), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md) - [Landing: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094); cases with it: [Cessna 150J, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=2071820), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) ## Analysis The flight instructor reported the purpose of the flight was to train the student pilot on landings and go-arounds. After completing one touch-and-go landing and two go-arounds without incident, the flight instructor recounted that the student pilot flew the airplane through the traffic pattern and final approach leg at the appropriate speeds, altitudes, and descent rates. During the landing, the student pilot flared high and the airplane subsequently impacted the runway hard and flat. This led to a short bounce resulting in the airplane touching down a second time in a side-loaded and nose-down attitude. Upon the second touchdown the nose landing gear collapsed, and the right wing struck the runway resulting in substantial damage to the right wing and lower fuselage. The flight instructor did not report any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N61232](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N61232), registered now, S/N 15070905, built 1969 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 150 (J) - Registry model: [Cessna 150J](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150j) (registry code 2071820) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-200 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (registry code 17020, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 15070905 - Year built: 1969 - Airframe hours: 5467.7 - Engines: Continental Motors O-200-A 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Fundamentals Flight Training - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility - Last inspection: 100 hour, September 6, 2024, 48 hours before - Destination: Same as departure - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: ERI, Erie Intl/Tom Ridge Fld, runway 24, 8,420 × 150 ft, asphalt - Equipment: ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 42; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review May 28, 2024; seat: right; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 317 total, 62 in this make and model, 233 as pilot in command, 78 in the last 90 days, 57 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours - Student pilot; age 38; injuries: none; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 15.4 total, 15.4 in this make and model, 0 as pilot in command, 9 in the last 90 days, 5.9 in the last 30 days, 1.4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 170° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 66 °F, dew point 63 °F - Altimeter: 29.96 inHg - Observed at: ERI - METAR: KERI 221251Z 17004KT 10SM CLR 19/17 A2996 RMK AO2 SLP142 T01890167 ## 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 20240922020029A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240922020029A), Sep 22, 2024: Cessna 150J, Erie, PA, Substantial damage. On September 22, 2024, at the Erie/tom ridge international airport (eri) a Cessna 150 was being operated under part §91 for a part §61 instructional flight. A… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 21, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=195160. 44.3 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 43.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17752057&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20Full_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Investigation photographs (item 2, PDF, 5 pages, 1.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17752763&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigation%20Photographs-Rel.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. --- 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.