# NTSB NYC93LA182: Cessna 150M, N63626, Cortland, NY, August 28, 1993

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: August 28, 1993, 19:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place: Cortland, NY
- Coordinates: 42.599861, -76.179283 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.5999&lon=-76.1793&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 13, 1994
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 38654
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC93LA182
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/38654/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC93LA182

## Probable cause

The student pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing, resulting in a hard landing and collapse of the nose gear.  A factor was the student pilot's inexperience.

## Sequence of events

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

- Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown
  - flare - improper, pilot in command (cause)
  - lack of experience, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - recovery from bounced landing - inadequate, pilot in command (contributing factor)
- Gear collapsed, landing - roll
  - landing gear,nose gear - overload

## Analysis

THE STUDENT PILOT WAS CONDUCTING HIS SECOND SOLO FLIGHT.  HE STATED THAT DURING THE LANDING FLARE, THE 'ROUNDOUT [WAS] TOO HIGH...AIRCRAFT BOUNCED...AIRCRAFT BOUNCED AGAIN...LOWERED NOSE TO MAINTAIN LEVEL ATTITUDE...NOSE WHEEL MADE CONTACT WITH RUNWAY TOO HARD AND COLLAPSED.'

## Factual narrative

On Saturday, August 28, 1993, at 1930 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 150M, N63626, registered to Cortland Aviation, Inc., and piloted by Joseph F. Carothers, Jr., sustained substantial damage during a landing at the Cortland County Chase Field, Cortland, New York.  The student pilot was not injured.  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.  The flight was being conducted under 14 CFR 91.

This was the student pilot's second solo flight.  He was conducting a touch and go landing.  During the approach, he lowered the wing flaps to 20 degrees.  In his report, the pilot stated:

Aligned aircraft with runway centerline and            aim point.  Airspeed 75 MPH.  Closed throttle           to idle before threshold.  Roundout too high-           allowed aircraft to settle on runway.  Aircraft           bounced - control maintained - aircraft bounced           again and ballooned - lowered nose to maintain           level attitude.  Nose wheel made contact with           runway too hard and collapsed.

The engine fire wall was buckled.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N63626](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N63626), registered now, S/N 15077439 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 150M
- Registry model: [Cessna 150M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150m) (registry code 2071830) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 15077439
- Airframe hours: 5581
- Engines: CONTINENTAL O-200-A 100 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Registered owner: Cortland Aviation, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, August 9, 1992, 36 hours before
- Departed: N03
- Destination: N03
- Airport: N03, Cortland County Airport, runway 6, 3,400 × 75 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 47; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 12 total, 12 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 70 °F

## 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 19930828036449A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930828036449A), Aug 28, 1993: Cessna 150M, Cortland, NY, Substantial damage. Second solo. Flared too high. Bounced and porpoised. Collapsed nose gear.

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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