- Date
- August 10, 1996, 14:38 local (18:38 UTC)
- Place
- Worcester, MA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N5431QCessna 152
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 10, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960810022329A
- Case key
- 39227
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
the pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing, and his failure to maintain control of the airplane, which resulted in a nose over. His improper flare was a related factor.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot reported that he was on the fourth touch-and-go landing, when the airplane bounced during touchdown. He reduced engine power in an attempt to recover. The pilot reported that during his attempt to stop the bounce, the plane nosed forward as he attempted to go around. Subsequently, the airplane came to rest in grass adjacent to the runway. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunction.
Factual narrative
On August 10, 1996 about 1530 eastern daylight time, N54310Q, a Cessna 152, a training flight, nosed over during an aborted landing on runway 29 at Worcester Municipal Airport, Worcester, Massachusetts. Visual meteorological conditions existed. The student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The local flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The pilot reported that he was on the fourth touch and go landing when the airplane bounced during touch down, and he reduced engine power in an attempt to recover. According to the pilot: "During my attempt to stop the bounce, the plane nosed forward on my attempt at a go around." The aircraft came to rest in grass adjacent to the runway. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5431Q
- Reported as
- Cessna 152
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15285110
- Airframe hours
- 8,396
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2C, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Peter Sumner
- Registered owner
- John Capuano
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 8, 1996 · 47 hours before
- Departed
- ORC
- Airport
- ORC · Worcester Municipal, runway 29, 7,000 × 150 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 19
- Certificate
- Student
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 26 total · 14 in this make and model · 1 as pilot in command · 5 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 27 °F, dew point 14 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ORC
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.