What happened
The incident occurred during a routine training exercise involving a touch-and-go landing. The aircraft was operated by a student pilot conducting his first solo flight in a Cessna 150. Prior to this event, the pilot had completed previous solo flights exclusively in a Cessna 152.
As the aircraft approached the runway for the landing phase, it made initial contact with the ground on its nose landing gear rather than the main wheels. This improper touchdown caused the aircraft to bounce back into the air. The pilot attempted to correct the attitude and land again, but the second touch down also occurred on the nose gear.
The structural integrity of the nose landing gear could not withstand the impact forces from the repeated contact. Consequently, the nose gear collapsed upon the second touchdown. Following the collapse, the aircraft slid along the runway surface until it came to a complete stop. No injuries were reported during the incident.
The investigation
Post-accident examination confirmed that the primary mechanical failure was the collapse of the nose landing gear. The sequence of events indicated that the initial impact on the nose gear triggered the subsequent structural failure during the second contact. The pilot's statement confirmed that this was his first solo experience in a Cessna 150, suggesting a potential transition period from the Cessna 152.
Findings
The accident was caused by an improper landing technique where the aircraft touched down on the nose gear twice. The collapse of the nose landing gear resulted directly from these impacts. The pilot's lack of recent solo experience in this specific aircraft type may have contributed to the difficulty in maintaining proper flare and touchdown technique.