# NTSB FTW03LA009: Cessna 152, N520SU, Tulsa, OK, October 10, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 10, 2002, 18:00 local (23:00 UTC) - Place: Tulsa, OK - Coordinates: 36.039722, -95.984725 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.0397&lon=-95.9847&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report April 18, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 55858 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW03LA009 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/55858/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW03LA009 ## Probable cause The pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing and his failure to maintain airspeed. A contributing factor was the pilot's failure to align with the runway. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, approach - vfr pattern - final approach - proper alignment - not maintained, pilot in command (contributing factor) - flare - improper, pilot in command (contributing factor) - recovery from bounced landing - improper, pilot in command (cause) - Loss of control - in flight, go-around (vfr) - recovery from bounced landing - improper, pilot in command (cause) - airspeed - not maintained, pilot in command (contributing factor) - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command ## Analysis While practicing a short field approach, the pilot stated that he was trying to "hit the numbers" but was not lined up correctly. After the airplane touched down hard and bounced, the pilot added power and brought the nose up to an excessively nose high attitude. The airplane subsequently stalled and impacted the runway to the left of centerline in a nose low, left wing down attitude. ## Factual narrative On October 10, 2002, at 1800 central daylight time, a Cessna 152 single-engine airplane, N520SU, sustained substantial damage during a hard landing at the Richard Lloyd Jones Jr. Airport, Tulsa, Oklahoma. The student pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated by the Oklahoma State University Flight Center, Tulsa, and registered to Christiansen Aviation Inc., Wilmington, Delaware. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight. The flight originated from Tulsa at 1730. According to the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2), and in a telephone interview with the NTSB investigator-in-charge, the pilot reported the purpose of the flight was to practice various types of takeoffs and landings in preparation for the "end-of-course" checkride. The pilot stated that while practicing a short field approach, "I was trying to hit the numbers, but on short final I was not lined up correctly, and did not feel that I was going to make the runway." The pilot reported that after the airplane touched down hard and bounced, he added power and brought the nose up to an excessively nose high attitude. The airplane subsequently stalled and impacted the runway just to the left of centerline in a nose low, left wing down attitude, coming to rest in an upright position. An FAA inspector, who responded to the accident site, reported the propeller and nose gear had separated, four feet of the left wing was damaged, and the firewall had sustained substantial damage. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N520SU](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N520SU-2012-12-26), registration cancelled 2012-12-26, S/N 15285383, built 1981 (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: 15285383 - Airframe hours: 8262.3 - Engines: Lycoming O-235-L26 110 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Oklahoma State University Flight Center (Tulsa) - Registered owner: Christiansen Aviation Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility - Last inspection: Annual, September 27, 2002, 25.3 hours before - Departed: RVS, Tulsa, OK - Destination: RVS - Airport: RVS, Richard Lloyd Jones Jr Airport, runway 1R, 4,207 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 39; injuries: minor; student; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 59 total, 56 in this make and model, 16 as pilot in command, 17 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 2,900 ft overcast - Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 59 °F - Altimeter: 30.01 inHg - Observed at: RVS ## 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 20021010026859A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20021010026859A), Oct 10, 2002: Cessna 152, Tulsa, OK, Substantial damage. (.19) On October 10, 2002, at 1757 central daylight time, a Cessna 152 single-engine airplane, N520SU, sustained substantial damage during a hard landing at… 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.