Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot's improper flare and recovery from a bounced landing. Factors include approach airspeed not maintained, a lack of total experience, and a ditch near the runway.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The student pilot thought he had become lost, so he decided to land when he spotted the private airstrip. His airspeed became high on short final and, because he was concentrating on landing before he ran out of runway, he touched down hard, bounced, and lost control of the aircraft. The aircraft departed the runway, and flipped over when it slid across a ditch.
Source record
Factual narrative
On August 22, 1993, at approximately 1100 Pacific daylight time (PDT), a Cessna 150H, N22369, experienced a nose-over at a private airstrip near Garfield, Washington. The student pilot, who was on his first solo cross-country flight, received minor injuries, and the aircraft sustained substantial damage. The flight, which departed Felts Field, Spokane, Washington, at about 1000 PDT, and was en route to Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport, Pullman, Washington, was operating in visual meteorological conditions at the time of the accident. The flight was on a VFR flight plan, and the ELT, which was activated by the accident, was turned off at the scene. The student pilot said that he felt he had become lost, and decided to land when he spotted the private strip. He said that his airspeed got a little high just before touchdown and, because he was concentrating on landing before he ran out of runway, he landed hard, bounced, and lost control of the aircraft. The aircraft departed the runway and flipped over when it slid over a ditch. -