Cessna 152
Sacramento, CA — June 30, 2018
Event Information
| Date | June 30, 2018 |
| Event Type | ACC |
| NTSB Number | GAA18CA500 |
| Event ID | 20180821X82432 |
| Location | Sacramento, CA |
| Country | USA |
| Coordinates | 38.66778, -121.40056 |
| Airport | MC CLELLAN AIRFIELD |
| Highest Injury | NONE |
Aircraft
| Make | Cessna |
| Model | 152 |
| Category | AIR |
| FAR Part | 091 |
| Aircraft Damage | SUBS |
Conditions
| Light Condition | DAYL |
| Weather | VMC |
Injuries
| Fatal | 0 |
| Serious | 0 |
| Minor | 0 |
| None | 1 |
| Total Injured | 0 |
Event Location
Probable Cause
The student pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing.
Full Narrative
The solo student pilot reported that, during landing, on short final, he saw a helicopter on the runway and initiated a go around. During the go-around, the helicopter took off and he believed that it was "heading directly for [the airplane]", which "made [him] very anxious". The helicopter departed without further incident and the airplane re-entered the traffic pattern to land. During his second attempt to land, immediately after touchdown, the airplane's nose landing gear touched down hard and the airplane bounced "3 to 4 times.". When the airplane touchdown again, the nosewheel tire blew.
The flight instructor added that, while watching from the fuel farm, the student pilot did not flare the airplane.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector reported that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mount and truss.
The FAA inspector reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
About This NTSB Record
This aviation event was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). NTSB investigates all U.S. civil aviation accidents to determine probable cause and issue safety recommendations to prevent future accidents.