Primary finding
Probable cause
The student pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing, resulting in a loss of directional control, collapse of the nose gear, and subsequent nose down on the runway.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The student pilot stated he was landing with a left crosswind. As he came over the end of the runway, the airplane started to float. He elected not to add power. He failed to round out and made a hard landing on the nose wheel. The airplane bounced and he lost directional control. The nose wheel collided with the runway and collapsed. The airplane collided with the ground in a nose down attitude and came to a stop.
Source record
Factual narrative
On September 3, 1996, about 1210 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 152, N93102, registered to J.R. Leasing Inc, operated by American International, as a 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight, crashed on landing at Stuart-Whitman Field, Stuart, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The student pilot reported no injuries. The flight originated from Melbourne, Florida, about 1 hour 10 minutes before the accident. The student pilot stated he was landing with a gusty left crosswind with 20-degree flaps. As he came over the end of the runway, the airplane started to float. He elected not to add any power. He did not round out and made a hard landing on the nose wheel. The airplane bounced resulting in a loss of directional control. The nose wheel collided with the runway and collapsed. The airplane collided with the ground in a nose down attitude and came to a stop. Review of weather information from Fort Pierce, Florida, for the time period of the accident, revealed no recorded record of turbulence, downdrafts, gusts or windshear. -