# NTSB NYC94LA077: Cessna 152, N5369H, Ellington, CT, May 3, 1994

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: May 3, 1994, 16:15 local (20:15 UTC)
- Place: Ellington, CT
- Location: 41.9254° N, 72.4571° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at ELLINGTON (7B9), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.9254&lon=-72.4571&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report November 18, 1994
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 38749
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC94LA077
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/38749/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC94LA077

## Probable cause

THE STUDENT PILOT'S IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. A FACTOR WAS THE STUDENT PILOT'S IMROPER LANDING FLARE, WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING.

## 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 (contributing factor)
- Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll
  - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - recovery from bounced landing - improper, pilot in command (cause)
- Nose over, landing - roll

## Analysis

THE STUDENT PILOT WAS CONDUCTING A LANDING ON RUNWAY 19.  HE STATED:  'THE PLANE CAME DOWN FASTER THAN I THOUGHT.  THE REAR WHEELS...HIT THE GROUND HARD CAUSING THE PLANE TO BALLOON...INTO THE AIR....'  THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, ENTERED A GRASS FIELD AND NOSED OVER.  THE RUNWAY WAS 1800 FEET LONG AND 50 FEET WIDE.

## Factual narrative

On Tuesday, May 3, 1994 at 1615 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 152, N5359H, registered to Northstar Aero Services, Inc., and piloted by John O. Zimmer, sustained substantial damage during a landing at the Ellington Airport, Ellington, Connecticut.  The pilot was not injured.  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.  The flight was being conducted under 49 CFR Part 91.

The student pilot was performing a landing on runway 19, which was 1800 feet long and 50 feet wide.  In his report, he stated:

The rear wheels of the aircraft hit the            ground hard causing the plane to balloon           back up into the air about 15'.  I tried           to soften the landing by giving the plane           a little power.  The aircraft then began           to drift to the left so I gave it some            right rudder....The aircraft...came down            hard on the runway....the plane drifted           off the runway into the grass....into a            field.  The aircraft flipped over...

Federal Aviation Administration Inspector, A.G. Olmstead, Jr., stated in a report:

No physical evidence could be found at the            site to show a mechanical failure of brakes           or steering that would have allowed the            aircraft to veer off the runway.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N5369H](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5369H), registered now, S/N 15284094, 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 O-235-L2C](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-235-l2c) (registry code 42035, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 15284094
- Engines: CONTINENTAL O-235-L2C 110 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Registered owner: Northstar Aero Services, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Airport: 7B9, Ellington, runway 19, 1,800 × 50 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 40; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 78 total, 78 in this make and model, 20 as pilot in command, 2 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day

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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