# NTSB NYC96LA120: Cessna 150L, N10439, Matawan, NJ, May 25, 1996 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 25, 1996, 14:30 local (18:30 UTC) - Place: Matawan, NJ - Location: 40.4110° N, 74.2365° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Matawan, NJ, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.4110&lon=-74.2365&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 1, 1997 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 39192 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC96LA120 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/39192/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC96LA120 ## Probable cause the student pilot's improper flare and improper recovery from a bounced landing. The gusty wind condtion was a related factor. ## 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) - recovery from bounced landing - improper, pilot in command (cause) - Nose gear collapsed, landing - landing gear,nose gear - overload ## Analysis The student pilot returned to Matawan from a solo cross-country flight, and attempted to land on runway 27. On the fourth landing attempt, the airplane touched down hard, bounced twice, and the nose gear collapsed. The student reported that the wind speed had increased by the time she had returned to Matawan. The wind at a nearby airport was reported to be from 140 degrees at 5 knots with gusts to 15 knots. No malfunction of the airplane was reported by the pilot. ## Factual narrative On May 25, 1996, about 1430 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 150L, N10439, was substantially damaged when the nose gear collapsed during a hard landing, at the Marlboro Airport, Matawan, New Jersey. The student pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the cross country flight that departed Allentown, Pennsylvania, about 1230. No flight plan was filed for the instructional flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. In the NTSB form 6120.1/2, the pilot stated: I was on a solo cross country to Allentown, Pennsylvania. I had no problem going there. I didn't do another weather check because the weather report I got in the morning, when I left, was until [1400]. Coming back to Marlboro, it was windy and very bumpy. . . .When I finally came back to Marlboro, there was very bad wind. I did three go-arounds. On the fourth [landing attempt to runway 27], I came down hard. The plane bounced twice and the nose wheel collapsed. This was my first cross country. . . .After I did land, I shut the ignition, master switch and fuel shut off, but the [propeller] had already hit and spun on the ground. The pilot reported that there were no malfunctions with the airplane. Also, she had a total flight experience of 45 hours, including 5 hours of solo time. According to the Airport Facility Directory, runway 27 was a 2156 foot long, 40 foot wide runway. The winds at a nearby airport were reported from 140 degrees at 5 knots with 15 knot gusts. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N10439](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N10439), registered now, S/N 15074860, built 1973 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 150L - Registry model: [Cessna 150L](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150l) (registry code 2071826) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-200 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (registry code 17020, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 15074860 - Airframe hours: 4966 - Engines: Continental O-200-A 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Marlboro Aviation Enterprises - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, January 31, 1996, 66 hours before - Departed: ABE, ALLENTOWN, PA - Destination: 2N8 - Airport: 2N8, Marlboro, runway 27, 2,156 × 40 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 49; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 45 total, 44 in this make and model, 5 as pilot in command, 9 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 140° at 5 knots, gusting 15 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 30 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: BLM, 13 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19960525011539A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960525011539A), May 25, 1996: Cessna 150L, Matawan, NY, Substantial damage. Bounced and collapsed nose gear landing in gusty quartering tailwind. 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.