Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot's loss of control due to delayed landing flare. A factor was the porpoise encountered during landing.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The student pilot reported that this was her second supervised solo. She stated that she 'set up a normal approach to land and she touched down on all three wheels.' She further stated that 'the airplane ballooned up (porpoising) three to five feet in the air.' The student pilot initiated a go-around procedure, but the airplane came down on the nose wheel which subsequently collapsed, and the airplane skidded to a stop. The student pilot's flight instructor added that the first touchdown was on all three tires but 'the touch down was smooth.' He further stated that 'the aircraft became airborne again and the pilot pitched down allowing the wheels to touch down on the nose wheel first (pitch attitude slightly nose low).' He reported that the 'second touch down resulted in a porpoising that collapsed the nose wheel.' The instructor stated that during the 'final few seconds' of the landing sequence, he could hear power being applied to the airplane, but 'the nose was too low for the pilot to initiate a climb.'
Source record
Factual narrative
On May 8, 1997, at 1310 central daylight time, a Cessna 152, N93124, was substantially damaged following a loss of control while landing at Easterwood Field, near College Station, Texas. The student pilot, sole occupant in the airplane, was not injured. The airplane was owned by the Texas A and M Flying Club and operated by the owner under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local training flight which had originated approximately 1 hour, 10 minutes before the accident. No flight plan had been filed. The student pilot reported to the Investigator-In-Charge (IIC) that this was her second supervised solo. She stated that she "set up a normal approach to land and she touched down on all three wheels." She further stated that "the airplane ballooned up (porpoising) three to five feet in the air." The student pilot initiated a go-around procedure but the airplane came down on the nose wheel which subsequently collapsed and the airplane skidded to a stop. According to the flight instructor in his written witness statement, the pilot made "a normal approach and continued to landing with a touchdown on all three tires at normal approach speed, the touch down was smooth." He further stated that "the aircraft became airborne again and the pilot pitched down allowing the wheels to touch down on the nose wheel first (pitch attitude slightly nose low)." He reported that the "second touch down resulted in a porpoising that collapsed the nose wheel." The instructor stated that during the "final few seconds" of the landing sequence, he could hear power being applied to the airplane, but "the nose was too low for the pilot to initiate a climb." -