# NTSB IAD98LA033: Cessna 152, N25275, Warrenton, VA, February 28, 1998

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: February 28, 1998, 15:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place: Warrenton, VA
- Location: 38.7154° N, 77.7976° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Warrenton, VA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.7154&lon=-77.7976&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report July 30, 2001
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 28282
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=IAD98LA033
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/28282/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD98LA033

## Probable cause

The student pilot's improper flare which resulted in a hard landing.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown
  - flare - improper, pilot in command (cause)
- Nose gear collapsed, landing - roll
  - landing gear,nose gear - overload

## Analysis

During the pilot's first supervised landing, the airplane bounced three times, and then the nose of the airplane contacted the runway.  The pilot reported that the weather was not a factor, and that there was no mechanical malfunction with the airplane.

## Factual narrative

On February 28, 1998, at 1500 eastern standard time, a Cessna 152, N25275, was substantially damaged during a hard landing at the Warrenton-Fauquier Airport, Warrenton, Virginia.  The student pilot was not injured.  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed.  The local, solo, instructional flight originated at Warrenton, Virginia, and was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

The pilot reported that during touchdown on runway 32, the airplane bounced three times.  He said that each bounce was more severe than the other, and then the nose contacted the runway.

According to the pilot, he had practiced touch and go landings earlier for about 1.5 hours with his instructor, in preparation for his supervised solo. This was his first landing, and he reported over 27 hours of total flight experience, all in make and model.

The pilot reported that the weather was not a factor, and there was no mechanical malfunction with the airplane.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N25275](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N25275-2012-10-18), registration cancelled 2012-10-18, S/N 15280566, built 1977 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Cessna 152
- 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: 15280566
- Airframe hours: 7279
- Engines: Lycoming O-235-L2C 110 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Sky World Aviation Inc
- Registered owner: Jmf Associates
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility
- Last inspection: 100 hour, September 23, 1997, 99 hours before
- Departed: W66
- Destination: W66
- Airport: W66, Warrenton-Fauquier, runway 32, 4,103 × 60 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 16; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 27 total, 27 in this make and model, 14 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 1,800 ft overcast
- Temperature: 57 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observed at: W49, 10 nm away

## 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 19980228005959A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980228005959A), Feb 28, 1998: Cessna 152, Warrenton, VA, Substantial damage. (-23) Bounced. Collapsed nose gear on landing. First solo. (.4)during the pilot's first supervised landing, the airplane bounced three times, and then the nose…

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.