# NTSB LAX96LA251: Cessna 152, N68459, Santa Rosa, CA, June 29, 1996

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: June 28, 1996, 18:15 local (Jun 29, 1996, 01:15 UTC)
- Place: Santa Rosa, CA
- Coordinates: 38.499824, -122.759376 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.4998&lon=-122.7594&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report December 16, 1996
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 29487
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX96LA251
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/29487/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX96LA251

## Probable cause

the solo student pilot misjudged the landing flare resulting in a hard landing.  A factor in the accident was low airspeed.

## Sequence of events

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

- Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - flare/touchdown
  - weather condition - crosswind
  - airspeed(vref) - low, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - flare - misjudged, pilot in command (cause)
- On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll
  - terrain condition - runway

## Analysis

The pilot let his airspeed get too low and he flared too high on the landing.  The airplane touched down hard and bounced.  On the second bounce the nose gear collapsed and the pilot lost direction control.  The airplane slid off the left side of the runway and came to rest in a grassy area adjacent to the runway.

## Factual narrative

On June 28, 1996, at 1815 hours Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 152, N68459, collapsed the nose gear during landing on runway 14 at the Sonoma County Airport, Santa Rosa, California.  The airplane was being operated by Aero Venture, Petaluma, California, as an instructional flight under 14 CFR Part 91 when the accident occurred.  The airplane sustained substantial damage and the student pilot was not injured.  The flight originated in Petaluma about 1700 hours.  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time.  The winds were from 230 degrees at 10 knots.

The pilot indicated on his accident report that he let his airspeed get "too low" and "flared too high."  The airplane landed hard and bounced.  On the second touchdown the nose gear collapsed.  The airplane slid off the left side of the runway and came to rest in a grassy area adjacent to the runway.  The pilot reported no mechanical problems with the airplane.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N68459](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N68459), registered now, S/N 15282303, built 1978 (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: 152-82303
- Airframe hours: 8296
- Engines: Lycoming O-235-L2C 110 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Aero Venture
- Registered owner: Hodge, Richard D.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, June 13, 1996, 24 hours before
- Departed: O69, PETALUMA, CA
- Destination: STS
- Airport: STS, Sonoma County, runway 14, 5,115 × 150 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 37; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 34 total, 34 in this make and model, 7 as pilot in command, 34 in the last 90 days, 14 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 230° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: STS

## Other investigations on N68459 (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 LAX99LA025](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA025), Nov 5, 1998: Cessna 152 (N68459), Petaluma, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: Failure of the pilot in the Tiger Moth to see and avoid traffic. A contributing factor was the delayed reaction of the student pilot in the Cessna to initiate a turnoff of the taxiway once it became…

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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