- Date
- March 23, 2016, 10:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place
- Valparaiso, IN
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N918UCessna 152
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 1, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20160323002639A
- Case key
- 92884
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 student pilot's failure to maintain pitch control during the landing flare, which resulted in a porpoise and substantial damage to the firewall.
Findings · 2
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
The solo student pilot reported that during the landing flare the airplane ballooned, and upon touchdown the nose gear touched down first. He further reported that the airplane porpoised. Subsequently, the nose landing gear collapsed and the airplane skidded to a stop on the runway, which resulted in substantial damage to the firewall. According to the student pilot there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The solo student pilot reported that during the landing flare the airplane ballooned, and upon touchdown the nose gear touched down first. He further reported that the airplane porpoised. Subsequently, the nose landing gear collapsed and the airplane skidded to a stop on the runway, which resulted in substantial damage to the firewall. According to the student pilot there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N918U
- Reported as
- Cessna 152 (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15285441
- Built
- 1981
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2C, 110 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Griffith Aviation Inc.
- Registered owner
- Griffith Aviation Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Departed
- VPZ · Valparaiso, IN
- Destination
- VPZ · Valparaiso, IN
- Airport
- VPZ · Porter County Rgnl, runway 36, 4,001 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- None
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
- Student pilot
- Age
- 22
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 16 total · 16 in this make and model · 1 as pilot in command · 16 in the last 90 days · 14 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 7,500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.85 inHg
- Observed at
- KVPZ
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 12, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.4 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.