- Date
- July 13, 2020, 18:00 local (Jul 14, 2020, 01:00 UTC)
- Place
- Hayward, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N530CACessna 152
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20200713011989A
- Case key
- 101596
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 failure to maintain airplane control during landing in gusting wind conditions, and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action, which resulted in the left wing striking the runway.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The flight instructor reported that the private pilot, who had not flown for a long time, was receiving instruction to become current. After accomplishing flight maneuver training, they returned to the airport for the pilot to practice landings. During the flare for the third landing, with the private pilot on the controls, the left wing was pushed downward and struck the ground when the airplane encountered a wind gust. The pilot subsequently landed and taxied off the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing rear spar. The flight instructor added that, if he had positioned his hands on or very near the controls during the landing, the accident could have been prevented. The flight instructor reported that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The flight instructor reported that the private pilot, who had not flown for a long time, was receiving instruction to become current. After accomplishing flight maneuver training, they returned to the airport for the pilot to practice landings. During the flare for the third landing, with the private pilot on the controls, the left wing was pushed downward and struck the ground when the airplane encountered a wind gust. The pilot subsequently landed and taxied off the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing rear spar. The flight instructor added that, if he had positioned his hands on or very near the controls during the landing, the accident could have been prevented. The flight instructor reported that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N530CA
- Reported as
- Cessna 152
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 152-79757
- Built
- 1977
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2C, 110 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- San Carlos Flight Center
- Registered owner
- Cavalair LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · April 6, 2020
- Departed
- SQL · San Carlos, CA
- Destination
- SQL · San Carlos, CA
- Airport
- HWD · Hayward Executive, runway 28L, 5,694 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Electronic multifunction display, ADS-B, Electronic flight bag or handheld device
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 30
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 20, 2019
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 935 total · 120 in this make and model · 840 as pilot in command · 85 in the last 90 days · 78 in the last 30 days · 3.5 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 47
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Unknown
- Last flight review
- June 1, 1995
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 70 total · 2.5 in this make and model · 14 as pilot in command · 2.5 in the last 90 days · 2.5 in the last 30 days · 1.2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 13 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.87 inHg
- Observed at
- KHWD
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 9, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.6 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.