# NTSB GAA18CA427: Cessna 152, N5551L, Hollywood, FL, July 16, 2018 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: July 16, 2018, 13:08 local (17:08 UTC) - Place: Hollywood, FL - Coordinates: 26.002222, -80.239997 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.0022&lon=-80.2400&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report March 18, 2019 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 97808 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA18CA427 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/97808/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=97808 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA427 ## Probable cause The student pilot’s inadvertent encounter with thunderstorm conditions and her failure to maintain a proper landing flare in a crosswind, which resulted in a bounced landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 152, 46 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=2071835), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 152, 115 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2071835), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Wind: crosswind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation; cases with it: [Cessna 152, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040/cases.md?model=2071835), [All aircraft, 1,008 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Other weather encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400); cases with it: [Cessna 152, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md?model=2071835), [All aircraft, 1,127 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md) - [Landing: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 152, 41 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=2071835), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md) - [Landing: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [Cessna 152, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md?model=2071835), [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md) - [Landing: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094); cases with it: [Cessna 152, 32 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=2071835), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) ## Analysis The solo student pilot reported that, while landing in a crosswind during thunderstorm activity, she feared that a go-around would put her into the storm. She added that the airplane bounced during the initial touchdown. She then applied "a bit of power" to recover, but the airplane porpoised, and the nose landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mount. The director of flight operations for the flight school reported that the student was endorsed for the solo cross-country, that she had received a weather briefing, and that she and her instructor had a briefing and discussion about the airfield and weather before her departure. He added that she was supposed to arrive before the summer storms started, but the storms came early. The student reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system at the airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 140° at 15 knots. The student landed the airplane on runway 10R. The observation further indicated thunderstorm activity and cumulonimbus clouds with occasional lightening in clouds and clouds to ground. ## Factual narrative The solo student pilot reported that, while landing in a crosswind, during thunderstorm activity, she feared that a go around would put her into the storm. She added that the airplane bounced during the initial touchdown. She then applied "a bit of power" to recover, but the airplane porpoised, and the nose landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mount. The director of flight operations for the flight school reported that, the student was endorsed for the solo cross country, she had received a weather briefing, and that she and her instructor had a briefing and discussion of the airfield and weather before her departure. He added that, she was supposed to arrive before the summer storms started, but the storms came early. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system at the accident airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 140° at 15 knots. The student pilot landed on runway 10R. The observation further indicated thunderstorm activity and cumulonimbus clouds with occasional lightening in cloud and cloud to ground. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5551L](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5551L), registered now, S/N 15284353, built 1980 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 152 (No Series) - 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: 15284353 - Year built: 1980 - Airframe hours: 14246.5 - Engines: Lycoming O-235-L2C 110 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: American Flight Training, LLC., doing business as Wayman Aviation Academy - Registered owner: Delaware Trust Co Trustee - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, June 14, 2018 - Departed: IMM, Immokalee, FL - Destination: HWO, Hollywood, FL - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: HWO, North Perry, runway 10R, 3,255 × 100 ft, asphalt - Equipment: ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 27; injuries: minor; student; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 39 total, 39 in this make and model, 8 as pilot in command, 39 in the last 90 days, 33 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 140° at 15 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 25,000 ft overcast - Temperature: 90 °F, dew point 77 °F - Altimeter: 30.06 inHg - Observed at: KHWO ## 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 20180716011359A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180716011359A), Jul 16, 2018: Cessna 152, Pembroke Pines, FL, Substantial damage. The aircraft had a hard landing resulting in the nose wheel to collapse and the propeller to strike the pavement. The pilot received no injuries but the… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 30, 2018, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=97808. 2.6 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 2.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40467834&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Record of Conversation (item 2, .PDF, 85 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40467835&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation-Master.PDF - Accident Picture (item 3, .PDF, 1 photo, 101 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40467836&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Accident%20Picture-Master.PDF 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.