Casualties unknown

1996-01-23: Cessna 152 (N65465) — Greenville, SC

Greenville, SC, US

On January 23, 1996, a Cessna 152 (registration N65465) was involved in an aviation accident near Greenville, SC. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the go-around while retracting flaps in windy conditions, which resulted in a stall and subsequent collision with the runway. 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.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 1781061362Data APIEditorial standards

A student pilot experienced a ballooning aircraft during landing due to strong quartering tailwinds, aborting the approach before stalling and striking the runway while retracting flaps.

What happened

The incident occurred while a student pilot was conducting a local solo flight. Upon returning to the airport for landing, the pilot encountered significant weather conditions characterized by a strong quartering tailwind during the final approach phase.

As the aircraft touched down or prepared to touch down, the wind conditions caused the airplane to balloon upward rather than settle onto the runway surface. Recognizing the unstable approach, the pilot decided to abort the landing and initiated a go-around procedure.

During the execution of the go-around, the pilot retracted the flaps. This action coincided with an aerodynamic stall of the aircraft. Following the loss of lift, the airplane descended and collided with the runway surface.

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the go-around while retracting flaps in windy conditions, which resulted in a stall and subsequent collision with the runway.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001208X05095. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.