Casualties unknown

2001-05-07: Cessna 152 (N757XS) — Hayward, CA

Hayward, CA, US

On May 7, 2001, a Cessna 152 (registration N757XS) was involved in an aviation accident near Hayward, CA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: the student pilot's misjudged landing flare and improper use of the elevator control. 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's third landing attempt resulted in a hard bounce and nose-wheel-first touchdown, causing the nose wheel to fold rearward and the left wingtip to strike the runway, bending the wing spar.

Incident Overview

An FAA Inspector interviewed the pilot and examined the aircraft following an accident during a training flight. The pilot had completed two landing patterns with a certified flight instructor in preparation for his second solo flight. After the instructor deplaned, the student pilot successfully performed two touch-and-go landings. On the third landing, the aircraft landed hard, bounced, and then touched down on the nose wheel.

Pilot Account

The student reported that the bounce "was very high and I [tried] to pitch down and let it glide, but the nose wheel touch[ed] down first." As a result, the nose wheel folded back along the underside of the fuselage, and the left wingtip struck the runway, bending the wing spar.

Aircraft Damage

Examination of the airplane revealed the nose wheel assembly had collapsed rearward, and the left wingtip had impacted the runway surface, causing structural damage to the wing spar.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20010518X00955. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.