Cessna 152 accident at Linz Airport during night training

Overview and Investigation Context On 19 March 2011 at approximately 18:55 UTC, a Cessna C152 operated by an Austrian flight school was involved in an accident at Linz Airport (LOWL). The investigation was conducted by the Austrian Federal Accident Investigation Office, Aviation Division, in accordance with EU Regulation 996/2010. The aircraft was a two-seat, high-wing, metal airframe with a tricycle landing gear, powered by a Lycoming O-235 L2C engine. ## Flight and Accident Sequence The student pilot, a 25-year-old female, was conducting night vision flight training (NVFR) for five solo takeoffs and landings. The supervising flight instructor was on the illuminated apron, maintaining radio contact via a handheld device. During the fifth and final landing, the aircraft made a hard touchdown, bounced twice, and then made a third contact with the nose gear first. The nose gear broke off sideways and backward, causing the propeller and left wingtip to strike the runway. The aircraft came to a stop on runway 26. The student pilot radioed the airport control tower and evacuated the aircraft independently. ## Damage and Injuries The aircraft sustained substantial damage, including bent propeller blades, a detached nose gear, and significant damage to the left wing leading edge and engine cowling. No runway damage was reported, though avgas leaked from the left wing tank vent and was collected by the airport fire brigade. The student pilot sustained minor injuries. No fire occurred. ## Aircraft and Operational Details The aircraft, serial number 152-80994, was built in 1977 and had 9,087.51 total operating hours. It was equipped with a required emergency locator transmitter (ELT), which did not activate. No flight recorder was required or installed. The student pilot held a valid student pilot certificate and had 43 total flight hours, including 5 starts in the preceding 24 hours. ## Environmental and Technical Factors The accident occurred at night under full moon conditions with scattered clouds. Meteorological data indicated winds from 020° at 6 knots, visibility of 9,999 meters, and a temperature of 4°C. No technical malfunctions or physiological impairments were identified as contributing factors. The accident site was located approximately 98 meters beyond the PAPI on the centerline of runway 26.