On April 2, 1991, a Cessna 152 (registration N506DF) operated by D'angelone Aviation was involved in an aviation accident near Bayport, NY. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The student pilot lost control of the aircraft at 40 ft., while attempting to land in gusty crosswind conditions. 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 student pilot with limited fixed-wing experience lost control of the aircraft at 40 feet while landing in gusty crosswind conditions, resulting in a hard impact.
Incident Overview
A student pilot encountered gusty wind conditions while approaching the runway threshold for landing. According to the pilot, a crosswind coming from the west caused the aircraft to suddenly pitch upward. When the pilot immediately applied forward yoke, the aircraft began to rapidly pitch down and impacted the ground.
Pilot Background
The pilot had limited experience in fixed-wing airplanes, as nearly all of his flight time had been accumulated in military helicopters.
Official Statement
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector reported that the student pilot lost control of the aircraft at an altitude of 40 feet while attempting to land in gusty crosswind conditions.
Probable cause
The student pilot lost control of the aircraft at 40 ft., while attempting to land in gusty crosswind conditions.