History of Flight
On May 26, 2022, at about 1456 central daylight time, a Cessna 152, registration N4978B, sustained substantial damage in an accident near Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. The student pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. The flight instructor reported that the student pilot was performing a solo flight.
Automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) data and ATC communications indicated that the airplane took off from runway 22R at Lawrence J. Timmerman Airport (MWC), Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and entered a left traffic pattern. The airplane touched down on runway 22R and remained on the runway for about 20 seconds before beginning its second takeoff. The airplane’s groundspeed increased, and it started to gain altitude. While climbing, the student pilot reported to ATC that the airplane had an engine failure. ATC acknowledged, and the student pilot then transmitted, “unintelligible . . . I’m stalling, I don’t know what to do.” ATC asked, “are you a solo?” The student pilot responded, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I didn’t have my flaps up . . . unintelligible.” A few seconds later, ATC transmitted, “increase speed . . . are you able to make the tar?”
A witness reported that the airplane climbed just above tree height in a nose-high attitude. Shortly thereafter, the left wing dropped, and the airplane descended “straight down.”
An aircraft performance study conducted using ADS-B data, previous flight data, and other factors concluded that the airplane’s performance was consistent with the eyewitness description and that the airplane likely exceeded its critical angle of attack and stalled. The study also found that the energy state of the airplane was not consistent with an engine failure.
The airplane impacted the ground in a residential neighborhood about 1/4 mile from the departure end of runway 22R.
Personnel Information
The student pilot began flight training in June 2021. From the time he started until the accident, he had worked with four different flight instructors. He had flown 36.2 hours with his second instructor and had not soloed. The instructor stated the student pilot was not flying consistently enough and needed more pattern work. Additionally, the instructor noted the student was smart but needed to be slowed down when using checklists. He also stated the student was easily distracted initially but had improved.
The student pilot’s most recent flight instructor (fourth instructor) reported providing training since March 5, 2022. The student pilot had received about seven lessons, each about 2 hours long with 0.5 hours of ground and 1.0 to 1.5 hours of flight training. All lessons were conducted in the accident airplane. The instructor reported that the student pilot had about 40 hours of flight time before their first lesson but lacked the expected capability for a pilot with that time.
The flight instructor stated that the student pilot’s landings were “a little abrupt,” so they practiced touch-and-go landings. By the sixth lesson, landings were “much better.” The instructor described the student as “super smart” and “very bright,” knowledgeable about ground aerodynamics, but “constantly seemed rushed.” The instructor was working with him to not rush. The student pilot was “a bit eager to solo.”
The student pilot’s logbook showed his first solo flight on April 28, 2022, four weeks before the accident. The instructor flew with him before the solo, and it went smoothly. The student then conducted a 1-hour solo flight with full-stop landings and taxiing back. According to the instructor, the flight school does not allow student pilots to conduct touch-and-go landings during solo flights.
Aircraft Information
At the accident site, the tachometer indicated 7954.2 hours. The engine maintenance log at the last annual inspection showed 7906.1 hours, equating to 48.1 hours of engine operation since the annual inspection.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane came to rest nose down with its engine in a deep impact crater. The cabin area extended upward, and the aft fuselage was fractured just aft of the baggage area. Both wings remained partially attached with aft crush damage to their leading edges. Both wing flaps were found in the retracted position.
No fuel was found in the tanks; both fuel tanks had been breached due to impact. The fuel selector was in the “ON” position. No fueling paperwork was located.
The engine was mostly intact. Both magnetos produced spark. Spark plugs had normal appearance and produced spark during bench testing. The fuel system control indicated full-rich mixture. The carburetor screen was clean. The oil filter had no metal. Thumb compression was achieved on each cylinder. Both fixed-pitch propeller blades exhibited leading-edge gouges and minor chordwise scratching.
An examination of the engine, airframe, and propeller did not reveal any pre-accident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy on the pilot was conducted at the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office. The cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries. No toxicological tests were performed.