Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot misjudging the flare. A factor to the accident was the tailwind.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
During a solo instructional flight, the pilot was landing the airplane with a five to ten knot tailwind. The pilot did not flare the airplane before touch down and the airplane landed flat. The nose gear collapsed and the airplane slid to a stop.
Source record
Factual narrative
On January 22, 1995, at 1220 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 152, N6605P, was landed flat and the nose gear collapsed at Boeing Field, Seattle, Washington. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the local solo instructional flight. The airplane was substantially damaged and the student pilot was not injured. The pilot reported that the purpose of the flight was to practice touch and go landings. The pilot stated that the weather was rough and the first attempted landing resulted in a go-around. During the second attempt to land with a tailwind, the airplane's attitude was flat. The pilot stated that when she thought she should flare, she heard a noise and realized that it was the propeller hitting the runway. The nose of the airplane came up, then down and the nose gear collapsed. The pilot was landing on runway 13L, and the winds were reported from 320 to 330 degrees at five to ten knots. -