NYC96LA055

The student pilot (SP) departed on his first solo cross-country flight. The planned flight was to fly to another airport and return to the departure airport. After a 1 hour flight, the SP completed a landing at the intermediate destination airport, and departed on the return leg. About 20 minutes after takeoff, the SP attempted a landing at a second airport, 'for personal urgent needs.' The SP followed two other airplanes and landed on runway 22. During the landing flare the airplane ballooned, veered off the runway, and nosed over. The investigation revealed that the SP was not authorized to land at the second airport. Winds reported at the intermediate destination, 35 miles west of the second airport, were from 300 degrees at 7 knots, gusting to 15. The student pilot had accumulated about 46 hours of total flying experience, of which 17 hours were solo, all in this make and model airplane.

On January 25, 1996, at 1320 eastern standard time, a Cessna 150M, N9153U, was substantially damaged during landing at the Solberg-Hunterdon Airport (N51), Readington, New Jersey. The student pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the solo cross-country flight that originated at Matawan, New Jersey, about 1200. No flight plan had been filed for the flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

In a written statement, the student pilot (SP) stated that he departed the Marlboro Airport (2N8) in Matawan, on his first solo cross-country flight. The planned flight was to fly to the Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE), Allentown, Pennsylvania, and return to 2N8. The SP completed a landing at ABE after a 1 hour flight, and departed for the return leg. About 20 minutes after takeoff, the SP attempted a landing at N51, "for personal urgent needs."

The SP further stated:

"...after watching one similar aircraft land, I followed a second similar aircraft in the pattern, and landed on runway 22 at Solberg. The wind was strong and steady on a true crosswind. Upon my short final, when I flared, I ballooned, the wind pushed me off the runway where the plane went over, coming to rest upside down..."

In a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector's report, he stated:

"...[the pilot] indicated there was a strong crosswind from the right side. The pilot started to lose control and the aircraft started to go to the left onto the grass. The pilot then elected to power out of the area, but the aircraft went further left on the grass...[The pilot] reduced the power to cut-off and applied brakes. He did indicate that the aircraft skidded on the snow and then flipped over the nose...[the pilot] did state that there was no indication of a malfunction of the aircraft..."

The SP had departed runway 27 at 2N8, and landed and departed on runway 31 at ABE. According to the SP's flight instructor, he and the SP had reviewed the SP's flight plan and ascertained "...that there were appropriate available runways given current and forecasted weather conditions..." The flight instructor also stated that the SP was not authorized to land at N51. The student pilot had accumulated about 46 hours of total flying experience, of which 17 hours were solo, all in this make and model airplane.

Winds reported at ABE, 35 miles west of N51, were from 300 degrees at 7 knots, gusting to 15.