# NTSB GAA18CA500: Cessna 152, N4962L, Sacramento, CA, June 30, 2018 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: June 30, 2018, 10:00 local (17:00 UTC) - Place: Sacramento, CA - Coordinates: 38.667778, -121.400558 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.6678&lon=-121.4006&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 March 20, 2020 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 98123 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA18CA500 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/98123/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=98123 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA500 ## 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. - [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) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [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: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092); cases with it: [Cessna 152, 48 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=2071835), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/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) ## Analysis The solo student pilot reported that, during short final, he saw a helicopter on the runway and initiated a go-around. During the go-around, the helicopter took off, and he believed that it was "heading directly for [the airplane]," which "made [him] very anxious." The helicopter departed without further incident, and the airplane re-entered the traffic pattern to land. During his second attempt to land, immediately after touchdown, the nose landing gear touched down hard, and the airplane bounced several times. When the airplane touched down again, the nosewheel tire blew. The flight instructor reported that, while watching the flight, he noted that the student did not flare the airplane. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mount and truss. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative The solo student pilot reported that, during landing, on short final, he saw a helicopter on the runway and initiated a go around. During the go-around, the helicopter took off and he believed that it was "heading directly for [the airplane]", which "made [him] very anxious". The helicopter departed without further incident and the airplane re-entered the traffic pattern to land. During his second attempt to land, immediately after touchdown, the airplane's nose landing gear touched down hard and the airplane bounced "3 to 4 times.". When the airplane touchdown again, the nosewheel tire blew. The flight instructor added that, while watching from the fuel farm, the student pilot did not flare the airplane. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector reported that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mount and truss. The FAA inspector reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4962L](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4962L), registered now, S/N 15284246, 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: 15284246 - Year built: 1980 - Engines: Lycoming O-235 SERIES reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility - Departed: MCC, Sacramento, CA - Destination: MCC, Sacramento, CA - Airport: MCC, Mc Clellan Airfield, runway 34, 10,599 × 150 ft, concrete - Equipment: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 25; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 25 total, 25 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 10° at 9 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 29.87 inHg - Observed at: KMCC ## 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 20180630008959A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180630008959A), Jun 30, 2018: Cessna 152, Sacramento, CA, Substantial damage. Aircraft suffered a very hard landing that resulted in damage to the nose strut and prop strike, engine mount supports broken, bent and fuselage dents in skin… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 5, 2019, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=98123. 1.9 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40478659&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Student Pilot Statement (item 2, .PDF, 71 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40478660&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Student%20Pilot%20Statement-Master.PDF - Flight Instructor Statement (item 3, .PDF, 19 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40478661&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Flight%20Instructor%20Statement-Master.PDF - Record of Conversation - FAA (item 4, .PDF, 65 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40478662&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20FAA-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.