# NTSB GAA18CA461: Cessna 152, N152LT, Oak Harbor, WA, July 27, 2018 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: July 27, 2018, 11:30 local (18:30 UTC) - Place: Oak Harbor, WA - Coordinates: 48.251667, -122.673614 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=48.2517&lon=-122.6736&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 5, 2019 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 97964 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA18CA461 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/97964/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=97964 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA461 ## Probable cause The student pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [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) - [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) - [Mental/emotional state: anxiety/panic](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02022515): Personnel issues › Psychological · Student/instructed pilot; cases with it: [Cessna 152, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02022515/cases.md?model=2071835), [All aircraft, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02022515/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900); cases with it: [Cessna 152, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md?model=2071835), [All aircraft, 1,556 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: 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-flare/touchdown: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna 152, 84 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2071835), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Part(s) separation from AC](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338); cases with it: [Cessna 152, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338/sequence.md?model=2071835), [All aircraft, 563 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the student pilot, his first solo flight was conducted at an airport that he was not familiar with and he was "very nervous." Although his flight instructor had a hand-held two-way radio to communicate with the student, the instructor's two-way radio malfunctioned, and the student was not able to communicate with the instructor during the flight in the traffic pattern. On final, the student noticed that the airplane was "getting too low, too fast and I added power." When he felt the landing was assured, he reduced the power, and the airplane bounced. He added that the airplane bounced again and, "I knew something was up but at the moment I froze." The nose landing gear wheel struck the runway hard and separated from the airplane, and it then skidded to a stop. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mounts and the right wing. The instructor reported that the accident could have been prevented if he had provided more training to address the changes in performance given that he weighed 235 lbs and that he was not occupying the right front seat during the solo flight. The student reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative According to the student pilot, his first solo was conducted at an airport that he was not familiar with and he was "very nervous." Although his flight instructor possessed a hand-held two-way radio to communicate with the student, the instructor's two-way radio malfunctioned, and the student was not able to communicate with the instructor during the solo flight in the pattern. On final, the student noticed that the airplane was, "getting too low, too fast and I added power." When he felt the landing was assured, he reduced the power, and the airplane bounced. The airplane bounced a second time and, "I knew something was up but at the moment I froze." The airplane's nose landing gear wheel struck the runway hard and separated from the airplane. The airplane skidded to a stop. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mounts and the right wing. The instructor reported that the accident could have been prevented if he had provided more training to address the changes in performance, since his 235-pounds would not be occupying the right front seat during the solo flight. The student pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N152LT](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N152LT), registered now, S/N 15285262, built 1981 (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: 15285262 - Year built: 1981 - Airframe hours: 14057 - Engines: Lycoming O-235-L2C 110 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Regal Air - Registered owner: Morcom Aviation Services Inc Dba - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility - Last inspection: Annual, July 17, 2018 - Departed: OKH, Oak Harbor, WA - Destination: OKH, Oak Harbor, WA - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: OKH, Aj Eisenberg, runway 25, 3,265 × 25 ft, asphalt - Equipment: None ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 16; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 13 total, 13 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 280° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 52 °F - Altimeter: 30.06 inHg - Observed at: KOKH ## 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 20180727018149A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180727018149A), Jul 27, 2018: Cessna 152, Oak Harbor, WA, Substantial damage. Student pilot with instructor did several landings, instructor got out of a/c, student did one touch and go, on second touch and go, a/c began to… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 22, 2019, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=97964. 4.6 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 4.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40471311&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Photo (item 2, .PDF, 1 photo, 131 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40471312&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo-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.