On September 6, 1988, a Cessna 152 (registration N5458P) was involved in an aviation accident near Burlington, IA. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's decision to land on a runway not aligned with the reported wind conditions, which contributed to porpoising and a subsequent hard landing that overstressed the landing gear. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A pilot elected to land on runway 18 based on UNICOM advice despite local FSS winds favoring runway 36, resulting in a hard landing that collapsed the nose gear and damaged the propeller.
What happened
The aircraft was conducting a solo cross-country flight when it arrived at the destination airport. Upon arrival, the pilot consulted the UNICOM frequency, which advised landing on runway 18. However, the local Flight Service Station (FSS) reported that winds were coming from the northwest, which would typically favor operations on runway 36.
Despite the conflicting wind information provided by the FSS, the pilot elected to proceed with the landing on runway 18 based on the UNICOM advisory. During the final approach and touchdown phase on runway 18, the aircraft experienced porpoising—a repetitive bouncing motion along the longitudinal axis. This instability resulted in a hard landing where the nose wheel struck the pavement with excessive force. The impact caused the nose gear to collapse and sustained damage to the propeller.
Probable cause
The pilot's decision to land on a runway not aligned with the reported wind conditions, which contributed to porpoising and a subsequent hard landing that overstressed the landing gear.
What happened in the 6 Sept 1988 Cessna 152 accident near Burlington, IA?
A pilot elected to land on runway 18 based on UNICOM advice despite local FSS winds favoring runway 36, resulting in a hard landing that collapsed the nose gear and damaged the propeller.
Were there any fatalities in the 6 Sept 1988 Cessna 152 accident?
No fatalities were recorded in this accident.
What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?
The accident on 6 Sept 1988 involved a Cessna 152, registration N5458P, at Burlington, IA.
What was the probable cause of the accident?
The pilot's decision to land on a runway not aligned with the reported wind conditions, which contributed to porpoising and a subsequent hard landing that overstressed the landing gear.
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