- Date
- August 24, 2016, 14:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Franklin, PA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N8120SCessna 150
- Defining event
- Landing-aborted after touchdown: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 5, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20160824015269A
- Case key
- 93909
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 resulting in a hard landing and the flight instructor's delayed action to assist the student pilot during the aborted landing, which resulted in a runway excursion, a right main and nose gear collapse, and fuselage damage.
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
The student pilot reported that during a gusty crosswind landing the airplane touched down and drifted off the runway to the right. He further reported that he added power to abort the landing, but "with the carburetor heat still on, and the flaps at 30 degrees and the temperature of nearly 80 degrees Fahrenheit outside, we did not regain control." The airplane pitched up and the left wing hit the ground. Subsequently, the airplane was "vaulted" over to the right side of the runway and impacted terrain. which resulted in a collapsed right main and nose gear. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The student pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The flight instructor reported that the student pilot flared a little high and he thought the landing would be "just a little hard" and he allowed the student to continue. The flight instructor further reported that during the aborted landing, he attempted to help the student pilot maintain control of the airplane, but "it was too late". The automated weather observing system at the airport about 5 minutes before the accident recorded the wind at 180 degrees true at 12 knots, gusting to 16 knots. The student pilot reported that the landing was on runway 30. The same automated weather observing system about 15 minutes after the accident recorded the wind at 210 degrees true at 12 knots, gusting to 16 knots.
Factual narrative
The student pilot reported that during a gusty crosswind landing the airplane touched down and drifted off the runway to the right. He further reported that he added power to abort the landing, but "with the carburetor heat still on, and the flaps at 30 degrees and the temperature of nearly 80 degrees Fahrenheit outside, we did not regain control." The airplane pitched up and the left wing hit the ground. Subsequently, the airplane was "vaulted" over to the right side of the runway and impacted terrain. which resulted in a collapsed right main and nose gear. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The student pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The flight instructor reported that the student pilot flared a little high and he thought the landing would be "just a little hard" and he allowed the student to continue. The flight instructor further reported that during the aborted landing, he attempted to help the student pilot maintain control of the airplane, but "it was too late". The automated weather observing system at the airport about 5 minutes before the accident recorded the wind at 180 degrees true at 12 knots, gusting to 16 knots. The student pilot reported that the landing was on runway 30. The same automated weather observing system about 15 minutes after the accident recorded the wind at 210 degrees true at 12 knots, gusting to 16 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8120S
- Reported as
- Cessna 150 (F)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15061720
- Built
- 1965
- Airframe hours
- 5,816
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 23, 2016
- Departed
- N27 · Towanda, PA
- Destination
- FKL · Franklin, PA
- Airport
- FKL · Venango Rgnl, runway 30, 3,593 × 100 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS, Stall warning system
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 23
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 30 total · 5 in this make and model · 3 as pilot in command · 29 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 23
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 14, 2016
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 337 total · 10 in this make and model · 265 as pilot in command · 63 in the last 90 days · 40 in the last 30 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 12 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.20 inHg
- Observed at
- KFKL, 1 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 17, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.2 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.
Other investigations on N8120S · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.