# NTSB LAX97LA074: Cessna 152, N96049, Phoenix, AZ, December 21, 1996

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: December 21, 1996, 10:16 local (17:16 UTC)
- Place: Phoenix, AZ
- Coordinates: 33.680801, -112.089706 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.6808&lon=-112.0897&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 30, 1997
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 29705
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX97LA074
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/29705/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX97LA074

## Probable cause

the student pilot's improper flare and improper recovery from a bounced landing, which resulted in an inadvertent porpoise and subsequent overload failure of the nose gear.

## 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)
  - recovery from bounced landing - improper, pilot in command (cause)
  - porpoise/pilot-induced oscillation - inadvertent, pilot in command
- Nose gear collapsed, landing - flare/touchdown
  - landing gear,nose gear - overload

## Analysis

The student pilot was on his first solo flight, and had successfully completed two landings.  After the third approach, the aircraft touched down on the nose wheel, then it entered a porpoise. The nose gear then collapsed.

## Factual narrative

On December 21, 1996, at 1016 hours mountain standard time, a Cessna 152, N96049, porpoised on landing and collapsed the nose landing gear at the Deer Valley Airport, Phoenix, Arizona.  The aircraft was owned and operated by Superstition Air Service of Phoenix, and was engaged in a student solo instructional flight.  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed.  The aircraft incurred substantial damage and the student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured.  The flight originated from Falcon Field in Mesa, Arizona, for a local area instructional flight about 0900 on the day of the accident.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration inspector who responded to the site and interviewed the student, the pilot was on his first solo flight and had completed two landings successfully.  On the third approach, the aircraft touched down on the nose wheel and then entered a porpoise.  The nose gear then collapsed.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N96049 (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: Cessna 152
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 15286002
- Engines: Lycoming O-235-L2C 110 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Registered owner: Superstition Air Service, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, November 18, 1996, 58 hours before
- Departed: FFZ, MESA, AZ
- Airport: DVT, Deer Valley, runway 7L, 4,500 × 75 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 22; student; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 31 total, 31 in this make and model, 1 as pilot in command, 31 in the last 90 days, 12 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 120° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 16,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 57 °F, dew point 10 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observed at: DVT

## 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 19961221042399A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19961221042399A), Dec 21, 1996: Cessna 152, Phoenix, AZ, Substantial damage. First solo on third landing flared late wheel barrowed on nose wheel and porpoised. Folded nose gear.

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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