Primary finding
Probable cause
the student pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The student pilot reported he flared too high, then started to drift. He pushed the nose forward, the airplane contacted the ground nose first and bounced back into the air. The student pilot reported when he tried to recover, the airplane 'stalled' and dropped abruptly to the ground. The student pilot reported 30 hours total flight experience, including 2 hours within the preceding 90 days.
Source record
Factual narrative
On March 17, 1994, at 1402 central standard time, a Cessna 152, N2MS, piloted by a student pilot on a solo instructional flight, sustained substantial damage during a hard landing while practicing touch and go landings on Runway 12L at Palwaukee Airport (PWK), in Wheeling, Illinois. The student pilot, the sole occupant, reported no injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight, no flight plan was filed. The flight operated under 14 CFR Part 91, and originated from Wheeling, approximately 1345. The student pilot stated everything looked fine to him during the approach, but he flared too high. He reported the airplane began to drift off the left side of the runway, so he pushed the nose down to get the airplane on the ground. The airplane impacted the ground nose first, then bounced and became airborne again. The student pilot reported he tried to recover and reestablish the airplane in a flare. The airplane "stalled" and dropped abruptly to the ground. The student pilot reported about 30 hours total flight experience, of which 2 hours were in the preceding 90 days. A record of conversation with the FAA Inspector is appended. -