# NTSB MIA90LA035: Cessna 152, N6479P, Zephyrhills, FL, December 3, 1989

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: December 3, 1989, 15:05 local (20:05 UTC)
- Place: Zephyrhills, FL
- Location: 28.2267° N, 82.1556° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at ZEPHYRHILLS MUNI (ZPH), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.2267&lon=-82.1556&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, 1991
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 32605
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA90LA035
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/32605/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA90LA035

## Probable cause

THE STUDENT PILOT NOT OBTAINING THE CURRENT WIND INFORMATION WHICH RESULTED IN SELECTING THE WRONG RUNWAY FOR LANDING; IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR(S) WAS: THE STUDENT PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE AND THE TAILWIND CONDITIONS.

## Sequence of events

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

- Loss of control - in flight, landing - flare/touchdown
  - air/ground communications - misread, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - wind information - not obtained, pilot in command (cause)
  - lack of total experience, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - tailwind (contributing factor)
  - wrong runway - selected, pilot in command (cause)
  - recovery from bounced landing - improper, pilot in command (cause)
  - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command
- In flight collision with terrain/water, landing - flare/touchdown
- Nose over, landing - flare/touchdown
  - terrain condition - loose gravel/sandy (contributing factor)

## Analysis

THE PLT STATED THAT WHEN HE CONTACTED UNICOM, HE HEARD RUNWAY 32 WAS THE ACTIVE. BUT SINCE IT DOES NOT EXIST HE INTERPRETED THE ACTIVE AS RWY 22. AFTER TOUCHDOWN WITH A RIGHT QUARTERING TAILWIND, THE ACFT BOUNCED, DRIFTED OFF THE RWY, FLEW OVER A DITCH, STALLED, THEN TOUCHED DOWN IN SAND AND NOSED OVER. THE UNICOM OPERATOR STATED THAT HE HEARD THE PILOT CALL FOR A RUNWAY ADVISORY, BUT BEFORE HE COULD ISSUE AN ADVISORY THE PILOT RESPONDED 'UNDERSTAND 22 ZEPHYRHILLS.' THE OPERATOR THEN ADVISED THAT THE WINDS WERE FAVORING RUNWAY 36, BUT THERE WAS NO RESPONSE FROM THE PILOT. THE PILOT ALSO STATED HE DID NOT FLY OVER THE FIELD TO OBSERVE THE WINDSOCK.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N6479P](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6479P-2013-02-13), registration cancelled 2013-02-13, S/N 15285026, 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: 15285026
- Engines: LYCOMING O-235-L2C 110 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Alternative Flying Club, Inc.
- Registered owner: Unknown
- Departed: LAL, LAKELAND, FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Airport: ZPH, Zephyrhills Municipal, runway 22, 5,000 × 100 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 37; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; flight hours: 28 total, 28 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 360° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 59 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Observed at: LAL, 16 nm away

## 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 19891203048889A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19891203048889A), Dec 3, 1989: Cessna 152, Zephyrhills, FL, Substantial damage. Student misunderstood active runway and landed with a 10 to 20 knot tailwind. Lost control left runway. Nosed over.

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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