- Date
- April 30, 2016, 13:06 local (20:06 UTC)
- Place
- Palo Alto, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N94565Cessna 152
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 25, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20160430007939A
- Case key
- 93087
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 decision to takeoff in wind conditions that exceeded his certificated flight instructor's maximum wind endorsement, and the student pilot's failure to maintain pitch control during the touchdown, resulting in abnormal runway contact, and substantial damage to the firewall.
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 student pilot, during his fifth solo flight, he struggled to keep the nose straight during the landing on runway 31. He reported that during the touchdown the airplane porpoised, the nose gear collapsed, and the airplane came to rest on the runway. According to his certificated flight instructor (CFI), the student pilot was endorsed to fly the airplane in a maximum wind velocity of 8 knots. The meteorological aerodrome report (METAR) indicated that the wind at the time of the accident was 310 degrees true at 15 knots, gusting to 22 knots. According to METAR data the wind velocity exceeded the pilot's endorsed limitation at 0747 Pacific daylight time (PDT), and did not subside during the remainder of that day. The student pilot's solo flight commenced at 1259 PDT. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or anomalies with the airplane prior to or during the flight that would have prevented normal flight operation.
Factual narrative
According to the student pilot, during his fifth solo flight, he struggled to keep the nose straight during the landing on runway 31. He reported that during the touchdown the airplane porpoised, the nose gear collapsed, and the airplane came to rest on the runway. According to his certificated flight instructor (CFI), the student pilot was endorsed to fly the airplane in a maximum wind velocity of 8 knots. The meteorological aerodrome report (METAR) indicated that the wind at the time of the accident was 310 degrees true at 15 knots, gusting to 22 knots. According to METAR data the wind velocity exceeded the pilot's endorsed limitation at 0747 Pacific daylight time (PDT), and did not subside during the remainder of that day. The student pilot's solo flight commenced at 1259 PDT. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or anomalies with the airplane prior to or during the flight that would have prevented normal flight operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N94565
- Reported as
- Cessna 152 (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15285727
- Built
- 1983
- Airframe hours
- 9,834.9
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-N2C, 108 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Sundance Flying Club
- Registered owner
- Prillinger Richard J
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 5, 2016
- Departed
- PAO · Palo Alto, CA
- Destination
- PAO · Palo Alto, CA
- Airport
- PAO · Palo Alto, runway 31, 2,443 × 70 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Angle of attack indicator
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
- 23
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 55 total · 40 in this make and model · 3 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 17 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.85 inHg
- Observed at
- KPAO
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 18, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.1 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.