On June 27, 1996, a Cessna 152 (registration N93526) was involved in an aviation accident near Lake Providence, LA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's improper flare during landing, which resulted in a nose-wheel-first touchdown and subsequent porpoising. 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 porpoising after touching down nose-first due to an improper flare, causing the aircraft to exit the runway and sustain firewall damage.
What happened
The incident involved a solo student pilot operating an aircraft during the landing phase. According to the pilot's account, the primary issue arose from an improper flare technique just before touchdown. This error resulted in the airplane contacting the runway surface with its nose wheel first, rather than the main gear.
Following the initial impact, the pilot reported being unable to prevent a porpoising motion of the aircraft. The plane bounced several times across the runway surface. Eventually, the aircraft departed the paved runway and came to rest in the adjacent grassy area. Upon inspection, damage was confirmed to the firewall.
Probable cause
The pilot's improper flare during landing, which resulted in a nose-wheel-first touchdown and subsequent porpoising.