# NTSB MIA00LA016: Cessna 152, N5389Q, Cornelia, GA, October 28, 1999 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 28, 1999, 17:30 local (21:30 UTC) - Place: Cornelia, GA - Coordinates: 34.510368, -83.519493 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.5104&lon=-83.5195&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 5, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 47677 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA00LA016 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/47677/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA00LA016 ## Probable cause the pilot misjudged the flare, causing the airplane to porpoise, and subsequently impact with the runway ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Gear collapsed, landing - flare/touchdown - flare - misjudged, pilot in command (cause) - porpoise/pilot-induced oscillation - encountered, pilot in command (cause) - aircraft control - not obtained/maintained, pilot in command - lack of total experience, pilot in command - In flight collision with terrain/water, landing - flare/touchdown - terrain condition - runway ## Analysis The student pilot was on a solo cross-country flight, and upon landing at the destination airport the student pilot over controlled the airplane and it began to porpoise. The airplane then descended in a nose-low attitude until the propeller struck the runway, causing the nose gear to break off. The airplane continued to skid down the runway, departed the runway to the left, then returned to the runway, coming to rest near the centerline. No discrepancies were found with either the airframe or engine. At the time of the accident the pilot had a total of 67.8 flight hours. ## Factual narrative On October 28, 1999, about 1730 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 152, N5389Q, registered to New Horizon Aviation, impacted with the ground during a landing at the Habersham County Airport, Cornelia, Georgia. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 solo cross-country instructional flight. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The student pilot reported no injuries. The flight had departed from Greenville, South Carolina, en route to Cornelia, Georgia, at 1630. The student pilot was on a solo cross-country flight, and according to her CFI (certified flight instructor) she was qualified to conduct the flight and had been endorsed by the CFI. While attempting to land at the destination airport the airplane began to porpoise. The airplane then descended in a nose-low attitude striking the runway, and breaking off the nose gear. The airplane continued to skid down the runway, departed the runway to the left, then returned to the runway, coming to rest near the centerline. According to the student pilot's CFI, "...upon the attempt to land...the student pilot over controlled the aircraft causing the airplane to porpoise or create a pilot induced oscillation (POI). The aircraft continued its PIO until it descended in an extreme nose low attitude with sufficent force to break the nose wheel allowing for the...propeller to contact the ground, at about 1,500 feet down the runway." At the time of the accident the pilot had a total of 67.8 flight hours. No discrepancies were found with either the airframe or engine. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5389Q](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5389Q), registered now, S/N 15285107, built 1981 (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: 15285107 - Airframe hours: 8570 - Engines: Lycoming O-235-L2C 110 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: New Horizon Aviation - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 20, 1999, 242 hours before - Departed: GYH, GREENVILLE, SC - Destination: AJR - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: AJR, Habersham County, runway 6, 4,200 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 51; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 68 total, 68 in this make and model, 3 as pilot in command, 32 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 130° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 46 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: GMU ## 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 19991028045899A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19991028045899A), Oct 28, 1999: Cessna 152, Cornelia, GA, No damage. (-23) Student pilot,[privacy data omitted] , was on a solo cross country flight from greenville, SC (gyh) to Habersham County Airport (ajr). The student pilot,… 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.