On April 5, 2003, a Cessna 152 (registration N6599B) operated by John R Inman was involved in an aviation accident near Summerville, SC. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain proper touchdown technique during landing, which resulted in a hard landing and subsequent nose gear collapse. 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 hard landing on runway 24 caused a bounce, leading to nose gear collapse and firewall damage. No pre-accident mechanical issues were reported by the pilot.
What happened
During the final phase of flight, the pilot attempted to land on runway 24. The initial touchdown was firm, resulting in a significant bounce. Upon the second contact with the runway surface, the nose landing gear failed structurally. The aircraft subsequently came to a complete stop while remaining on the paved surface of the runway.
The investigation
A post-accident inspection of the airframe revealed specific structural damage. The lower section of the engine firewall was found to be buckled. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical irregularities or flight control anomalies prior to the accident sequence.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain proper touchdown technique during landing, which resulted in a hard landing and subsequent nose gear collapse.