# NTSB MIA99LA225: Cessna 152, N5416M, Ocala, FL, August 17, 1999 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 17, 1999, 08:40 local (12:40 UTC) - Place: Ocala, FL - Coordinates: 29.159982, -82.209503 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.1600&lon=-82.2095&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 2, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 47055 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA99LA225 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/47055/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA99LA225 ## Probable cause A misjudged flare and the failure of the student pilot to use the proper recovery technique for a bounced landing, allowing the airplane to commence a porpoise, and the eventual collapse of the nose landing gear. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - flare - misjudged, pilot in command (cause) - Nose gear collapsed, landing - roll - recovery from bounced landing - improper, pilot in command (cause) - porpoise/pilot-induced oscillation - inadvertent, pilot in command ## Analysis During his solo landing, the student pilot was observed to pull the nose up to the landing attitude a little early, relative to the height above the runway, hold the landing attitude, and touch down hard enough to cause a bounced landing. A series of oscillatory, porpoising maneuvers resulted, and the nose gear separated. The airplane slid to a stop on the main landing gear and the nose cowl. ## Factual narrative On August 17, 1999, about 0840 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 152, N5416M, registered to Mike Aviation, Inc., operating as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight, crashed on landing at Ocala Regional Airport, Ocala, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane received substantial damage and the student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated from the same airport about 10 minutes before the accident. According to the student pilot, he had just been endorsed by his flight instructor for solo flight about 30 minutes before the accident. He abandoned his first approach and executed a go-around because his flare looked a little high. On his second landing attempt, "the nose went up and lost all lift and landed hard on both main gear, I hit too hard and bounced in the air at least twice until the nose gear collapsed and broke off, I then slid on the nose until I came to a complete stop." According to the student's instructor, who was positioned next to the touchdown area of the runway with a hand held radio, she thought the student was in perfect position and speed when he crossed the runway threshhold on his second approach. He pulled the nose up to the landing flare attitude a little early, relative to height above the runway, and held that attitude until touchdown. The result was a very firm touchdown that caused a bounced landing, followed by the porpoising. She stated that she transmitted, "power" to the student just before touchdown, but he stated he heard no such transmission. She continued to transmit, "power" as she saw the porpoising develop, but by that time, as was later revealed, he heard nothing because his headset became dislodged after the first bounce. The instructor's statement is included in this report, as well as a record of telephone conversation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5416M](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5416M-2015-10-02), registration cancelled 2015-10-02, S/N 15284584, built 1980 (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: 152-84584 - Airframe hours: 7548 - Engines: Lycoming O-235-L2C 110 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Gulf Atlantic Airways - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility - Last inspection: 100 hour, July 24, 1999, 19 hours before - Departed: OCF - Airport: OCF, Ocala Regional, runway 36, 6,906 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 37; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 38 total, 38 in this make and model, 1 as pilot in command, 18 in the last 90 days, 9 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 7 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 75 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: GNV, 35 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 19990817012479A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990817012479A), Aug 17, 1999: Cessna 152, Ocala, FL, Substantial damage. Acft landed Ocala regional arpt ryw 36, nose gear collapsed 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.