# NTSB FTW01LA148: Cessna 152, N1FC, Lapace, LA, June 20, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 20, 2001, 15:30 local (20:30 UTC) - Place: Lapace, LA - Coordinates: 30.069852, -90.560333 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.0699&lon=-90.5603&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 9, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 52539 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW01LA148 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/52539/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW01LA148 ## Probable cause the student pilot flared the airplane high, which resulted in a hard landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - flare - high, pilot in command (cause) - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command - Nose gear collapsed, landing - flare/touchdown ## Analysis The student pilot indicated that his traffic pattern was normal; however, when he flared, the airplane floated down the runway and gained some altitude. As the airplane "slowed, and neared a stall," the student pilot applied full power; however, that "did not effect the airplane's airspeed due to the high pitch altitude." The airplane "fell out of the sky approximately 8 feet" and impacted the runway with the main landing gear. The airplane bounced into the air, yawed to the right, and impacted the ground with the left main landing gear and the nose landing gear. The airplane skidded to the left, and the left wing impacted the ground. When the left wing impacted the ground, the airplane yawed left, collapsing the nose landing gear. Subsequently, the airplane came to rest upright on the left side of the runway. ## Factual narrative On June 20, 2001, at 1530 central daylight time, a Cessna 152 single-engine airplane, N1FC, was substantially damaged during a bounced landing at the Saint John the Baptist Parish Airport, near LaPace, Louisiana. The aircraft was registered to and operated by Air Realdan Inc., of New Orleans, Louisiana. The student pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 solo flight. The flight departed Baton Rouge, Louisiana, approximately 1430, and had a planned destination of Lake Front Airport, New Orleans, Louisiana. During a telephone interview conducted by the NTSB investigator-in-charge, the student pilot stated that he departed Baton Rouge and was informed by air traffic control (ATC) that his transponder was not working. The student recycled the transponder from ON to OFF, back to ON; however, ATC personnel informed the pilot that they were still not receiving the transponder signal. The Baton Rouge controller told the pilot to contact New Orleans approach control. The New Orleans approach controller informed the pilot that they were not receiving the transponder signal and he was to remain clear of the Class B airspace. The pilot did not want to fly around the Class B airspace because of scattered rain showers along that route, so he elected to land at Saint John the Baptist Parish Airport. The student pilot indicated that his traffic pattern was "normal;" however, when he flared, the airplane "floated" down the runway and gained some altitude. As the airplane "slowed, and neared a stall," the student pilot applied full power; however, that "did not effect the airplane's airspeed due to the high pitch altitude." The airplane "fell out of the sky approximately 8 feet" and impacted the runway with the main landing gear. The airplane bounced into the air, yawed to the right, and impacted the ground with the left main landing gear and the nose landing gear. The airplane skidded to the left, and the left wing impacted the ground. When the left wing impacted the ground, the airplane yawed left, collapsing the nose landing gear. Subsequently, the airplane came to rest upright on the left side of the runway. The FAA inspector, who spoke with company maintenance personnel, reported that the firewall and left wing tip sustained damage. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1FC](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1FC-2006-06-16), registration cancelled 2006-06-16, S/N 15284571, built 1980 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 152 - Registry model: [Cessna 152](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-152) (registry code 2071835) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-235 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (registry code 41505, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 152-84571 - Engines: Lycoming O-235-L2C 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Air Realdan Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, May 11, 2001 - Departed: BTR, Baton Rouge, LA - Destination: NEW, New Orleans, LA - Airport: 1L0, Saint John the Baptist, runway 17, 4,000 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 20; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 56 total, 46 in this make and model, 19 as pilot in command, 21 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 90 °F ## 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 20010620019149A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010620019149A), Jun 20, 2001: Cessna 152, Reserve, LA, No damage. (-23) Student pilot was returning from ryan field, baton rouge, Louisiana to lakefront, new orleans, Louisiana and decided to divert to Reserve, laplace,… 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.