# NTSB LAX01LA069: Cessna 152, N6165M, Livermore, CA, January 5, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: January 5, 2001, 11:45 local (19:45 UTC) - Place: Livermore, CA - Coordinates: 37.683334, -121.822776 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.6833&lon=-121.8228&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 23, 2002 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION - NTSB case key (mKey): 50873 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX01LA069 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/50873/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA069 ## Probable cause The student pilot's inadequate compensation for a tailwind during final approach and her improper recovery from a bounced landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - compensation for wind conditions - inadequate, dual student (cause) - weather condition - tailwind (contributing factor) - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - flare/touchdown - porpoise/pilot-induced oscillation - encountered, pilot in command - recovery from bounced landing - improper, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis After touchdown the airplane porpoised down the runway, the nose landing gear collapsed, and the airplane departed the runway. The purpose of the flight was to conduct touch-and-go takeoffs and landings. The student pilot had been flying for 1 hour 45 minutes, and had conducted 14 touch-and-go takeoffs and landings prior to the accident. A pilot that landed prior to the accident pilot reported a quartering tailwind. The student pilot decided to make the accident landing a full stop. When the airplane touched down she noted her airspeed to be 70 knots. The airplane landed hard, bounced in the air, and porpoised down the runway before the nose landing gear collapsed. No discrepancies were noted with the airplane or engine by the pilot. ## Factual narrative On January 5, 2001, at 1145 hours Pacific standard time, a Cessna 152, N6165M, veered off runway 25L, entered a ditch, and nosed over while practicing touch-and-go takeoffs and landings at the Livermore Municipal Airport, Livermore, California. Ahart Aviation, Inc., operated the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 as an instructional flight. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local area flight. No flight plan had been filed. In the pilot's written statement to the Safety Board, she stated that the purpose of the flight was to practice touch-and-go's, and she had started about 1000. According to ATIS information, the winds were from 140 at 3 knots. She stated that she had completed 14 touch-and-go takeoffs and landings with no discrepancies. The 15th touch-and-go landing was when the accident occurred. The pilot reported that an airplane had landed prior to her, and the pilot of that airplane reported that a significant quartering tailwind existed. She decided that the accident landing would be a full stop landing. She stated that the approach speed was faster than the previous landings due to the tailwind. When the airplane bounced on touchdown, the rebound "was substantial." On the third bounce, the nose landing gear collapsed and the airplane skidded off the left side of the runway for about 20 feet. When she returned to the flight school she asked one of the flight instructors what the reported winds were, and was told that the winds were 12 knots. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector interviewed the pilot. The pilot stated that the airplane's airspeed was 70 knots indicated when the airplane first touched down. The airplane bounced into the air two times, on the third bounce the airplane landed hard. She lost control of the airplane and it veered to the left of the runway. She indicated that there were no mechanical defects noted with the airplane prior to the accident. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6165M](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6165M-2014-10-29), registration cancelled 2014-10-29, S/N 15284634, built 1980 (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: 15284634 - Airframe hours: 8625 - Engines: Lycoming O-235-L2C 115 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Ahart Aviation, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, November 9, 2000, 67 hours before - Departed: LVK, Livermore, CA - Destination: LVK, Livermore, CA - Airport: LVK, Livermore Municipal, runway 25L, 2,699 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 46; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 54 total, 54 in this make and model, 5 as pilot in command, 44 in the last 90 days, 13 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 50° at 12 knots - Visibility: 5 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 57 °F, dew point 43 °F - Altimeter: 30.14 inHg - Observed at: LVK ## 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 20010105032269A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010105032269A), Jan 5, 2001: Cessna 152, Livermore, CA, No damage. (-23) Student pilot with solo endorsement was on approach to 27 left at lvk, with no passengers on board. The pilot stated she was at 70 KTS IAS when the… ## Other investigations on N6165M (1) 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. - [NTSB WPR10CA390](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR10CA390), Aug 8, 2010: Cessna 152 (N6165M), Livermore, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain aircraft control during final approach, resulting in a hard landing. 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.