Primary finding
Probable cause
The student pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing, and his failure to maintain directional control of the airplane, which resulted in a ground swerve and subsequent overload failure of the nose gear.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
During the third solo full stop landing of the day, the airplane bounced, and the student pilot lost directional control of the airplane. The airplane then veered off the left side of the runway onto grass, and the nose landing gear collapsed.
Source record
Factual narrative
On January 14, 1996, about 1530 central standard time, a Cessna 152,N68172, registered to and operated by Douglas Aviation, Inc., was substantially damaged while landing at the Olive Branch Airport, Olive Branch, Mississippi. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight. The student pilot, the sole occupant,was not injured. The flight originated about 5 minutes earlier. The student pilot stated that the accident occurred on his third full stop solo landing attempt of the day. The student's CFI who witnessed the accident stated that the airplane touched down, bounced, then landed on the centerline of the runway. The airplane then veered off the left side of the runway onto the grass and came to rest with the nose landing gear collapsed. -