On August 5, 1990, a Cessna 152 (registration N757UX) operated by Belleville Area College was involved in an aviation accident near Cahokia, IL. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: the pilot's failure to maintain proper control during the landing flare, which resulted in a bounced landing and subsequent nose gear collapse. 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 solo student pilot experienced a bounced landing on return from a cross-country flight, resulting in the aircraft settling onto its nose and collapsing the nose gear.
What happened
The pilot was operating a single-engine airplane during a solo cross-country flight. Upon returning to the departure airport, the pilot initiated the landing sequence. The aircraft initially made contact with the runway surface using only the main landing gear. This impact caused the airplane to bounce back into the air.
The pilot successfully regained control of the aircraft and attempted to settle it back onto the runway for a second touchdown. During this subsequent contact, the nose section of the airplane struck the ground with significant force. The impact resulted in the collapse of the nose landing gear assembly.
Probable cause
the pilot's failure to maintain proper control during the landing flare, which resulted in a bounced landing and subsequent nose gear collapse