# NTSB LAX02LA289: Cessna 152, N5100B, El Cajon, CA, September 17, 2002

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: September 17, 2002, 15:39 local (22:39 UTC)
- Place: El Cajon, CA
- Coordinates: 32.82611, -116.972503
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.8261&lon=-116.9725&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report September 29, 2004
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration
- NTSB case key (mKey): 55724
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX02LA289
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/55724/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX02LA289

## Probable cause

The pilot's misjudged landing 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 - misjudged, pilot in command (cause)

## Analysis

The airplane touched down hard in a nose low attitude buckling the firewall and collapsing the nose gear assembly.  The pilot said the accident occurred while he was attempting to land at the conclusion of his practice flight and that he "flared too high," and then the airplane's nose dropped.  The airplane contacted the runway and bounced several times before coming to rest.  No preimpact mechanical problems were experienced with the airplane.

## Factual narrative

On September 17, 2002, about 1539 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 152, N5100B, landed hard on runway 27L at Gillespie Field, El Cajon, California.  The airplane's nose gear assembly collapsed and the firewall buckled.  The airplane was substantially damaged, and the student pilot was not injured during the solo instructional flight.  The pilot was operating the rented airplane from Anglo American Aviation, Inc., El Cajon, under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91.  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a visual flight rules flight plan had been filed.  The local area flight originated from El Cajon at 1445.

The pilot reported to the National Transportation Safety Board investigator that the accident occurred while he was attempting to land at the conclusion of his practice flight.  The pilot indicated that he initiated the final approach and extended the wing flaps to the 30-degrees position.  No mechanical problems were experienced with the airplane.  The pilot further reported that while landing he "flared too high," and then the airplane's nose dropped.  The airplane contacted the runway and bounced several times before coming to rest.

The pilot's total flight time (experience) was 56.9 hours.  His total pilot-in-command flight time was 3 hours.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N5100B](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5100B-2004-04-28), registration cancelled 2004-04-28, S/N 15283742, built 1979 (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: 15283742
- Airframe hours: 11203
- Engines: Lycoming O-235 110 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Anglo American Aviation, Inc.
- Registered owner: Christopher Watson
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, August 10, 2002, 80 hours before
- Departed: SEE, El Cajon, CA
- Destination: SEE, El Cajon, CA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Airport: SEE, Gillespie Field, runway 27L, 2,737 × 60 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Student pilot; age 55; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 57 total, 57 in this make and model, 3 as pilot in command, 57 in the last 90 days, 30 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 230° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 73 °F
- Altimeter: 29.80 inHg
- Observed at: KSEE

## 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 20020917024889A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020917024889A), Sep 17, 2002: Cessna 152, El Cajon, CA, Substantial damage. (-23) A low time student pilot departed on a solo flight from Gillespie field, his second VFR local flight of the day. He stated that his approach to rwy 27L…

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.

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