# NTSB MIA97LA002: Cessna 152, N94526, Hartsville, SC, October 4, 1996

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: October 4, 1996, 14:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place: Hartsville, SC
- Coordinates: 34.359844, -80.079872 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.3598&lon=-80.0799&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report December 16, 1996
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 38166
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA97LA002
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/38166/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA97LA002

## Probable cause

The student pilot's failure to maintain airspeed (VSO) during a go-around resulting in an inadvertent stall, and subsequent in-flight collision with terrain and nose over.

## Sequence of events

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

- Loss of control - in flight, go-around (vfr)
  - weather condition - crosswind
  - airspeed(vso) - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - stall - encountered, pilot in command
- In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled
  - terrain condition - ground
- Nose over, descent - uncontrolled

## Analysis

The student pilot stated he was making a crosswind landing with known gusty wind conditions. The airplane yawed to the left on roundout, he applied full power to initiate a go-around. The nose of the airplane was pitched up about 10- to 20-degrees, the airspeed was about 40 knots, and the stall warning horn was on. The nose pitched down and to the left. He applied aft pressure on the control yoke. The airplane collided with the ground on the main gear, bounced and nosed over inverted.

## Factual narrative

On October 4, 1996, about 1430 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 152, N94526, registered to and operated by North American Institute of Aviation as a 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight, crashed during a go-around at the Hartsville Municipal Airport, Hartsville, South Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a VFR flight plan was filed. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The student pilot reported no injuries. The flight originated 2 hours 15 minutes before the accident.

The student pilot stated he was making a crosswind landing with known gusty wind conditions. He turned final with the flaps extended 20 degrees. The airplane yawed to the left on roundout, and he applied full power to initiate a go-around. The nose of the airplane was pitched up about 10- to 20-degrees, the airspeed was about 40 knots, and the stall warning activated.  The nose pitched down and to the left. He applied aft pressure on the control yoke. The airplane collided with the ground on the main gear, bounced, and nosed over inverted.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N94526](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N94526-1996-12-26), registration cancelled 1996-12-26, S/N 15285704 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Cessna 152
- Registry model: [Cessna 152](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-152) (registry code 2071835) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 15285704
- Airframe hours: 8235
- Engines: Lycoming O-235-N2C 108 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Registered owner: North American Inst Of Avn
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility
- Last inspection: AAIP, September 19, 1996, 32 hours before
- Departed: 50J, BERKLY, SC
- Destination: HVS
- Flight plan: VFR
- Airport: HVS, Hartsville Municipal, runway 3, 3,300 × 75 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 16; student; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 42 total, 41 in this make and model, 42 in the last 90 days, 27 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 60° at 13 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 66 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: FLO, 20 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 19961004031109A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19961004031109A), Oct 4, 1996: Cessna 152, Hartsville, SC, Substantial damage. Aircraft encountered a wind gust on landing and flipped 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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