Primary finding
Probable cause
The student pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing, resulting in a hard landing and collapse of the nose gear. A factor was the student pilot's inexperience.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The student pilot was conducting his second solo flight. He stated that during the landing flare, the 'roundout [was] too high...aircraft bounced...aircraft bounced again...lowered nose to maintain level attitude...nose wheel made contact with runway too hard and collapsed.'
Source record
Factual narrative
On Saturday, August 28, 1993, at 1930 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 150M, N63626, registered to Cortland Aviation, Inc., and piloted by Joseph F. Carothers, Jr., sustained substantial damage during a landing at the Cortland County Chase Field, Cortland, New York. The student pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight was being conducted under 14 CFR 91. This was the student pilot's second solo flight. He was conducting a touch and go landing. During the approach, he lowered the wing flaps to 20 degrees. In his report, the pilot stated: Aligned aircraft with runway centerline and aim point. Airspeed 75 MPH. Closed throttle to idle before threshold. Roundout too high- allowed aircraft to settle on runway. Aircraft bounced - control maintained - aircraft bounced again and ballooned - lowered nose to maintain level attitude. Nose wheel made contact with runway too hard and collapsed. The engine fire wall was buckled. -