Primary finding
Probable cause
The improper recovery from a bounced landing by the pilot-in- command.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The student pilot was on a solo cross-country flight with a passenger. As he was attempting to land the airplane it was observed to be at a faster than normal speed. The airplane bounced once and landed on the nose gear which then collapsed. The airplane came to rest several hundred feet down the runway.
Source record
Factual narrative
On March 6, 1994, about 1804 central standard time, N48239, a Cessna 152, registered to Skyward Leasing Inc., experienced a collapsed nose gear on landing at Fannon Field, Panama City, Florida, while on a 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and there was no flight plan filed. The airplane was substantially damaged and the student pilot and one passenger reported no injuries. The origin and time of the flight originating is unknown. Witnesses stated the airplane was fast on final approach, bounced once, landed hard, the nose gear collapsed and the airplane veered off the runway. -