Incident Overview
On May 21, 2012, at 1850 central daylight time, a Cessna 152 (registration N6102Q) operated by US Aviation Group LLC under Part 91 as an instructional flight impacted trees, power lines, and terrain following an aborted landing. The solo student pilot was uninjured. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and the flight was operating on a VFR flight plan. The flight originated from Denton Municipal Airport, Texas, at about 1720, destined for Ardmore Municipal Airport (ADM), Oklahoma.
Sequence of Events
The student pilot was receiving VFR flight following services. At his last planned checkpoint before ADM, Fort Worth Center instructed him to contact ADM Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) and advised that ADM was at his 12 o'clock position and 10 miles away. When he contacted ADM ATCT, he reported being 10 miles from ADM, but the controller stated he was 1 mile north of the airport, causing confusion. The pilot then saw "ADM downtown airport" (Ardmore Downtown Executive Airport, 1F0) 1 mile south of his position. ADM ATCT instructed him to report a 1-mile final for runway 35. He turned, reported on final, received clearance for the option on runway 35, and acknowledged.
Still confused about being on the correct runway, he flew the approach at a higher than normal altitude, preventing him from landing within the first 1,000 feet of runway 35. He elected to go around. The airplane was very low and airspeed was too low. About 5 seconds after applying full power, the airspeed did not increase above 70 knots. With houses to the right and trees ahead, the airplane impacted trees as he attempted to climb.
Post-Impact Examination
According to an FAA inspector, the pilot attempted landing on runway 35 (5,000 feet by 75 feet, asphalt) at 1F0 but aborted. The pilot did not retract the flaps, which were extended 30 degrees during the aborted landing and subsequent climb. After impacting trees at the departure end of runway 35, the airplane slid down the trees and struck power lines. The inspector noted that the pilot was not fluent in English, making communications with ATC difficult to understand.
Pilot Background
The student pilot's logbook showed he had flown to ADM on May 4, May 9, and May 18, 2012. The flights on May 4 and 9 were with a flight instructor; the May 18 flight was solo.