Incident Overview
On April 1, 2008, at approximately 1500 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 152, registered as N64938, was involved in a hard landing incident at Gillespie Field in El Cajon, California. The aircraft was operated by Fly CFA LLC under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The student pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage due to a post-crash fire.
Flight Details
The local instructional flight had departed Gillespie Field around 1400. Visual meteorological conditions were present, and no flight plan had been filed. The student pilot was on a solo flight practicing touch-and-go landings. He successfully completed six landings but noted that the winds were increasing.
Seventh Approach and Landing
During the seventh approach, the student reported that the winds became variable and began to gust. He maintained an airspeed of 55 knots as he approached the runway threshold. Suddenly, the airplane drifted to the left side of the runway. The student applied aileron input and corrected back to the centerline. The airplane then touched down hard and bounced. After the aircraft came to rest, the student observed smoke and fire and evacuated the airplane.
Damage and Injuries
The airplane sustained substantial damage from the fire that ensued after the hard landing. The student pilot was not injured.
Investigation
The accident investigation did not specify a probable cause. The source information provides only the factual sequence of events as described.