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Night Landing Practice Results in Nose Gear Collapse After Bounce and Stall (N64936)

Orangeburg, SC, US

On June 21, 1997, a Cessna 152 (registration N64936) operated by Ferland, Inc. was involved in an aviation accident near Orangeburg, SC. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Failure of the pilot to recover from the bounced landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilots complacency. 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 2026-07-04Data APIEditorial standards

During night landing practice, the airplane bounced twice, then stalled after the pilot kept the power at idle, causing a nose-low impact and nose landing gear collapse. The pilot stated he was not concentrating and was in a rush.

Incident Overview

While conducting night landings for currency, the pilot experienced a bounce upon touchdown. He then applied forward elevator input, and the airplane touched down again, resulting in a second bounce. The power remained at idle throughout these events. Subsequently, the airplane stalled and impacted the runway in a nose-low attitude, collapsing the nose landing gear.

Pilot Statement

The pilot reported that he was not concentrating on the accident landing; instead, he was thinking about the next landing and felt rushed to complete the required landings for currency. He acknowledged that after the first bounce, he should have applied power to execute a go-around.

Related events

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Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 21 Jun 1997 Cessna 152 accident near Orangeburg, SC?

During night landing practice, the airplane bounced twice, then stalled after the pilot kept the power at idle, causing a nose-low impact and nose landing gear collapse. The pilot stated he was not concentrating and was in a rush.

Were there any fatalities in the 21 Jun 1997 Cessna 152 accident?

No fatalities were recorded in this accident.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 21 Jun 1997 involved a Cessna 152, registration N64936, operated by Ferland, Inc., at Orangeburg, SC.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

Failure of the pilot to recover from the bounced landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilots complacency.

More accident analyses

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001208X08198. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.