Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot's improper flare, improper recovery from a bounced landing, and failure to maintain directional control during the landing. The soft terrain was a related factor.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The 65-hour student pilot had been cleared for a solo flight to practice touch and go landings. While landing on runway 17L, the airplane landed hard, bounced, and porpoised a couple of times. The airplane then departed the left side of the runway. When the airplane departed the runway, the nose wheel sank in the soft ground and the airplane nosed over to the inverted position.
Source record
Factual narrative
On January 13, 1996, at 1045 central standard time, a Cessna 152, N111UF, was substantially damaged following a loss of control while landing near Spring, Texas. The student pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated by United Flight Services of Spring, Texas, under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the solo local instructional flight. According to the operator, the pilot had been cleared for a solo flight to practice landings at the David Wayne Hooks Airport. During an intended touch and go landing on Runway 17L, the airplane landed hard, porpoise a couple of times, followed by a loss of directional control. The airplane departed to the left of the runway, the nose wheel sank into the soft ground, nosed over, coming to rest in the inverted position. -