NYC08CA010

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 150M · Palmyra, PA · October 8, 2007

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
October 8, 2007, 17:30 local (21:30 UTC)
Place
Palmyra, PA
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N6252KCessna 150M
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report March 31, 2008
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
FAA/FSDO
FAA report
20071008829819A
Case key
66864

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The student pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing, and the CFI's failure to take remedial action.

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

Loss of control - on ground/waterLanding - flare/touchdown
Recovery from bounced landing - improperDual studentCause
Remedial action - not performedPilot in command(cfi)Factor
In flight collision with objectLanding - roll
Terrain condition - crop
Nose overLanding - roll
Terrain condition - high vegetation

Analysis

The certificated flight instructor (CFI) and student pilot of the Cessna 150M completed at least three touch-and-go circuits at another airport before returning to the accident airport. The airplane flew the complete left hand traffic pattern, and the pilots intended to make a full stop landing on runway 31, a 1,950-foot-long, 40-feet wide, asphalt runway. The flaps were set to the maximum extension of 40 degrees. According to the CFI, the airspeed was "a little high" on the final approach leg. The airplane floated, touched down "hard," and then bounced back into the air. The airplane touched down a second time, exited the runway to the left, and struck a cornfield located approximately 150 feet from the runway edge. On impact with the cornfield, the nose gear collapsed and the airplane nosed over. Both pilots were uninjured, and exited through the window on the right (co-pilot) side of the airplane. The recorded weather at an airport approximately 12 miles east of the accident site, about the time of the accident, showed winds from 260 to 280 degrees, at 5 to 7 knots. The temperature was approximately 31 degrees Celsius, with a dew point of 18 degrees Celsius. The CFI had approximately 720 hours of total flight experience, and the student pilot had approximately 30 hours of total flight experience. After the accident, the CFI reported that the accident could probably have been avoided if a go-around had been initiated early in the sequence.

Factual narrative

The certificated flight instructor (CFI) and student pilot of the Cessna 150M completed at least three touch and go circuits at another airport before returning to Reigle Field Airport (N58), Palmyra, Pennsylvania. The airplane flew the complete left hand traffic pattern. The pilots intended to make a full stop landing on runway 31, a 1,950 feet long, 40 feet wide, asphalt runway. The flaps were set to the maximum extension of 40 degrees. According to the CFI, the airspeed was "a little high" on the final approach leg. The airplane floated, touched down "hard," and then bounced back into the air. The airplane touched down a second time, exited the runway to the left, and struck a cornfield located approximately 150 feet from the runway edge. On impact with the cornfield, the nose gear collapsed and the airplane nosed over. Both pilots were uninjured, and exited through the window on the right (co-pilot) side of the airplane. The recorded weather at an airport approximately 12 miles east of the accident site, about the time of the accident, showed winds from 260 to 280 degrees, at 5 to 7 knots. The temperature was approximately 31 degrees Celsius, with a dew point of 18 degrees Celsius. The CFI had approximately 720 hours of total flight experience, and the student pilot had approximately 30 hours of total flight experience. After the accident, the CFI reported that the accident could probably have been avoided if a go around had been initiated early in the sequence.

Aircraft

Registration
N6252K
Reported as
Cessna 150M
Category
Airplane
Serial number
15077609
Airframe hours
3,038
Engine
Continental O-200, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Operator
Reigle Aviation
Registered owner
Reigle Aviation
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
Last inspection
100 hour · April 1, 2007
Departed
9D4 · Myerstown, PA
Destination
58N · Palmyra, PA
Airport
58N · Reigle Airport, runway 31, 1,950 × 40 ft, asphalt

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Flight crew · 2

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Flight instructor
Age
41
Injuries
None
Certificates
Flight instructor, Commercial
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 1, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
May 1, 2007
Seat
Right
Flight hours
720 total · 15 in this make and model · 526 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Role
Student pilot
Age
25
Injuries
None
Certificate
Student
Medical
Class 3, With waivers/limitations
Seat
Left
Flight hours
30 total · 2 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
280° at 5 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
86 °F, dew point 64 °F
Altimeter
29.87 inHg
Observed at
cxy, 12 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.