# NTSB NYC96LA054: Cessna 152, N89813, Norwood, MA, January 22, 1996 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: January 22, 1996, 14:19 local (19:19 UTC) - Place: Norwood, MA - Location: 42.1905° N, 71.1729° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at NORWOOD MEML (OWD), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.1905&lon=-71.1729&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 9, 1996 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 39144 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC96LA054 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/39144/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC96LA054 ## Probable cause Failure of the student pilot to maintain directional control of the airplane after touchdown, which resulted in an inadvertent ground swerve and collision with a snowbank. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - ground loop/swerve - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - terrain condition - snowbank ## Analysis THE STUDENT PILOT WAS ON HIS FIRST SOLO FLIGHT. HE STATED THAT AFTER TOUCHDOWN ON HIS SECOND TOUCH-AND-GO, THE AIRPLANE VEERED LEFT. THE STUDENT SAID HE ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT THE SITUATION WITH RIGHT AILERON AND RUDDER, THEN HE APPLIED BRAKES; HOWEVER, THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO VEER LEFT. IT THEN DEPARTED THE RUNWAY AND STRUCK A SNOWBANK. THE WIND WAS REPORTED AS CALM; THE RUNWAY WAS 150 FEET WIDE. THE PILOT HAD 17 HOURS TOTAL TIME, ALL IN A CESSNA 152. ## Factual narrative On January 22, 1996, at 1419 eastern standard time, a Cessna 152, N89813, was substantially damaged during landing at the Norwood Memorial Airport, Norwood, Massachusetts. The student pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the local training flight which originated at Norwood, about 1400, and was operated under 14 CFR Part 91. According to the FAA Operations Inspector, the student pilot had flown with his flight instructor on January 16, 1996, and was considered ready for solo,; however, he did not possess a medical certificate. He then obtained the required certificates, and flew with another flight instructor on January 22, 1996. Based upon the recommendation of the second flight instructor, the first flight instructor signed the student pilot's certificate which authorized him to make solo flights. The student pilot then departed on his first solo flight which was unsupervised. He completed one touch and go, and the accident occurred after touchdown on the second touch and go. In the NTSB Accident Report, he stated: ...I observed a tail wind. I was staying in the pattern coming around for a landing. My airspeed was 45-50 Kts onto the runway. All the wheels touched ground and stayed on the ground. The plane went immediately went hard left. I tried using right aileron and right rudder to get the plane back onto the center line. At no time did I touch the brakes initially. Once I couldn't bring [the plane] back onto the center line then I started to apply brakes. Knew I was going into the snowbank and braced myself for what ever was going to happen. The airplane was examined by an FAA Airworthiness Inspector and no mechanical discrepancies were reported with the nose landing gear steering or flight control system. The FAA Air Traffic Control Tower reported the winds as calm. According to the Airport Facility Directory, runway 35 was 4007 feet long, 150 feet wide, and had an asphalt surface. The FAA reported the runway surface was clear of snow and ice, and was dry. The student pilot had about 17 hours total time, all in the Cessna 152. ## Aircraft - Registration: N89813 (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 152 - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 15282888 - Airframe hours: 5470 - Engines: LYCOMING O-235-L2C 112 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Aviation Development Synergies - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, January 13, 1996, 10 hours before - Departed: OWD - Airport: OWD, Norwood Memorial, runway 35, 4,007 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 31; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 17 total, 17 in this make and model, 17 in the last 90 days, 12 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 7 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 2,000 ft broken - Temperature: 39 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: OWD ## 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 19960122047619A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960122047619A), Jan 22, 1996: Cessna 152, Norwood, MA, Substantial damage. (-16) Student pilot lost directional control on landing. Aircraft swerved to the left straightened out and again veered left, going off the runway. Aircraft… 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.