On February 24, 1996, a Cessna 152 (registration N6325Q) was involved in an aviation accident near Jacksonville, IL. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: the pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing, which resulted in the airplane leaving the runway surface. 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's first solo cross-country flight ended in a nose-over after landing on a windy runway with the aircraft touching down in a crab angle.
What happened
The accident occurred while a student pilot was conducting his first solo cross-country flight. The pilot was attempting to land on runway 31 under local wind conditions ranging from 210 to 240 degrees at speeds of 10 to 15 knots. According to the pilot's account, the airplane touched down while still in a crab angle. Following touchdown, the aircraft traveled off the side of the runway and nosed over into the adjacent grass.
The investigation
The investigation relied primarily on the pilot's statement regarding the landing conditions and the sequence of events leading to the nose-over. No mechanical failure was identified as a contributing factor.
Probable cause
the pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing, which resulted in the airplane leaving the runway surface.