On April 27, 1989, a Cessna 152 (registration N757JS) operated by Ramon F. Gebhart was involved in an aviation accident near Hanover, PA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: THE FAILURE OF THE STUDENT PILOT TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED AND DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING AN ATTEMPTED GO AROUND. 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.
During a pilot's first solo flight, a hard landing caused multiple bounces, prompting a go-around. The aircraft stalled at about 30 feet, and after a 180-degree left turn, it struck the ground in a left-wing-low attitude and nosed over inverted.
Incident Summary
The accident occurred during a flight that was the pilot's first solo. The aircraft experienced a hard touchdown during the landing phase, which led to several bounces. In response, the pilot initiated a go-around maneuver.
Sequence of Events
The pilot set full power, maintained full flaps, and had the carburetor heat in the off position for the go-around. As the aircraft climbed to approximately 30 feet above ground level, the stall warning horn activated. The pilot then executed a 180-degree turn to the left. During this turn, the aircraft descended and struck the ground while in a left wing and nose low attitude. Upon impact, the aircraft nosed over into an inverted position.