# NTSB NYC03LA059: Cessna 152, N170SU, Columbus, OH, February 28, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: February 28, 2003, 11:21 local (16:21 UTC) - Place: Columbus, OH - Coordinates: 40.079723, -83.073059 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.0797&lon=-83.0731&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 3, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 56556 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC03LA059 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/56556/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC03LA059 ## Probable cause The student pilot's misjudgment of distance/altitude and the instructor's delayed remedial action, ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Undershoot, approach - vfr pattern - final approach - distance/altitude - misjudged, dual student (cause) - remedial action - delayed, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - flare/touchdown - terrain condition - snow covered - Nose gear collapsed, landing - roll ## Analysis A flight instructor and student pilot had been performing touch and go landings on runway 27R, which was 2,994 feet long and 100 feet wide. During the accident approach, the student had set 20 degrees of flaps and established 62 knots of indicated airspeed. The CFI observed the airplane descend below the "glidepath," and instructed the student pilot to add power. After a few seconds, the student added about 50 rpms of power, and the CFI told the student to add more power. When the student didn't respond, the CFI attempted to add power himself; however, the student's hand remained over the throttle, and he was unable to add power. The CFI then started to flare the airplane for landing. The airplane touched down about 20 feet prior to the runway in snow, where it pitched forward on its nose, and the nose gear collapsed. The winds at the airport were reported to be calm. ## Factual narrative On February 28, 2003, at 1121 eastern standard time, a Cessna 152, N170SU, was substantially damaged during landing at the Ohio State University Airport (OSU), Columbus, Ohio. The certificated flight instructor (CFI) and student pilot were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that originated at OSU. No flight plan had been filed for the instructional flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. According to the CFI, they had been performing touch and go landings to runway 27R, which was 2,994 feet long and 100 feet wide. During the accident approach, the student had set 20 degrees of flaps and established 62 knots of indicated airspeed. The CFI observed the airplane descend below the "glidepath," and instructed the student pilot to add power. After a few seconds, the student added about 50 rpms of power, and the CFI told the student to add more power. When the student didn't respond, the CFIs attempted to add power himself; however, the student's hand remained over the throttle, and he was unable to add power. The CFI then started to flare the airplane for landing. The airplane touched down about 20 feet prior to the runway in snow, where it pitched forward on its nose, and the nose gear collapsed. The airplane came to rest about 30 feet beyond the approach end of the runway. A weather observation taken at 1125, included clam winds. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N170SU](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N170SU), registered now, S/N 152-83248, built 1979 (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: 15283248 - Airframe hours: 11544 - Engines: Lycoming O-235-L2C 110 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Ohio State University - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility - Last inspection: Annual, January 17, 2003, 62 hours before - Departed: OSU, Columbus, OH - Destination: OSU - Airport: OSU, Ohio State University, runway 27R, 2,994 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 24; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review December 20, 2001; seat: right; flight hours: 658 total, 452 in this make and model, 557 as pilot in command, 56 in the last 90 days, 27 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours - Student pilot; age 21; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 16 total, 16 in this make and model, 0 as pilot in command, 16 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: 9 statute miles - Temperature: 32 °F, dew point 45 °F - Altimeter: 30.10 inHg - Observed at: OSU ## 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 20030228004109A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030228004109A), Feb 28, 2003: Cessna 152, Columbus, OH, Substantial damage. (-23) According to the CFI, they had been performing touch and go landings to runway 27R. During the last approach, the CFI told the student pilot to add… 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.