# NTSB SEA03LA172: Cessna 152, N68281, Hamilton, MT, August 17, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 17, 2003, 14:00 local (20:00 UTC) - Place: Hamilton, MT - Coordinates: 46.254444, -114.125556 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=46.2544&lon=-114.1256&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 30, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 57723 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA03LA172 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/57723/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA03LA172 ## Probable cause The student pilot's improper flare which resulted in a hard landing. A factor was the improper recovery from the bounced 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 (cause) - recovery from bounced landing - improper, pilot in command (contributing factor) ## Analysis The pilot said his airspeed was a little faster than he would normally use as the aircraft touched down on its main landing gear and bounced. On the second contact with the runway he applied back pressure on the yoke and it bounced again, about 12 feet high. Prior to the third bounce, the pilot again applied back pressure on the control yoke causing it to bounce high again. As the airplane was now going too slow, the pilot felt that adding power would only make the problem worse. The airplane contacted the runway the fourth time with all three landing gear, causing the nose gear to buckle, impacting the firewall. The aircraft came to rest on its nose and left wing with the tail projecting 45 degrees into the air. The pilot reported that no power was added for recovery in spite of his prior instruction and practice in hard landing recovery. Post-accident examination of the aircraft revealed damage to the firewall and left wing. ## Factual narrative On August 17, 2003, approximately 1400 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 152, N68281, was substantially damaged during a collision with the ground following a loss of control during a recovery from a hard landing on runway 16 (4,200 ' X 75') at the Ravalli Country Airport, Hamilton, Montana. The airplane was registered to and operated by North Star Aviation of Hamilton, Montana. The student pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight, and a flight plan was not filed. The local flight departed the Ravalli Country Airport, at 1300. According to the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB for 6120.1/2), and in a telephone interview with the NTSB investigator-in-charge, the pilot reported that he was conducting a short field "spot landing" with 30 degrees of flaps, and an approach speed of 65 knots indicated airspeed. The pilot stated that the airspeed was a little faster than he would normally use and the aircraft touched down on the main landing gear and bounced. The pilot further reported that on the second contact with the runway he applied back pressure on the yoke and "it bounced very high - about 12 feet high." The pilot also related that prior to the third bounce, he again applied back pressure on the control yoke and it bounced high again. The pilot continued, "At this point the airplane was going too slow, and I felt that adding power would only make the problem worse." The pilot said that before the airplane contacted the runway for the fourth time, its course was approximately 5 degrees to the right of the runway centerline. The airplane then contacted the runway with all three landing gear, causing the nose gear to buckle immediately, impacting the firewall. The aircraft subsequently came to rest on its nose and left wing, with the tail projecting 45 degrees into the air. The pilot reported that no power was added for recovery in spite of his prior instruction and practice in hard landing recovery. An FAA inspector, who traveled to the accident site, reported substantial damage to the left wing and the firewall. ## Aircraft - Registration: N68281 (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Cessna 152 - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 15282227 - Airframe hours: 4641 - Engines: Lycoming O-235 115 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: North Star Aviation Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 30, 2003, 44 hours before - Departed: 6S5, Hamilton, MT - Destination: 6S5, Hamilton, MT - Airport: 6S5, Ravalli County Airport, runway 34, 4,200 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 44; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 98 total, 32 in this make and model, 21 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 300° at 5 knots - Visibility: 6 statute miles - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 52 °F - Altimeter: 30.11 inHg - Observed at: MSO, 44 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 20030817020849A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030817020849A), Aug 17, 2003: Cessna 152, Hamilton, MT, Substantial damage. (-23) A student pilot, seth pogue, was involved in an accident that occurred after the aircraft he was flying (N68281), porpoised on landing following a series… 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.