Cessna 152 N68332 accident near Denton, Texas

Probable cause

The pilot’s improper landing flare and subsequent improper recovery from a bounced landing. Contributing to the accident was the gusty crosswind and windshear during landing.

NTSB analysis

The pilot was conducting a full stop landing to runway 36R in a gusty crosswind and light-to-moderate turbulence. While the airplane was on the base leg in the traffic pattern, another pilot transmitted over the tower frequency that they had a 10 knot windshear while over the runway during their takeoff. The tower controller asked the pilot if she heard the other pilot’s transmission about windshear over the runway. The pilot acknowledged the potential for windshear, increased her approach speed, and continued with the landing approach. The pilot reported that the airplane remained on a stable landing approach until a few feet above the runway when the airplane landed hard before she began the landing flare. The airplane bounced and then began to porpoise on the runway. The nose landing gear struck the runway at least 3 times before the pilot increased engine power for a go-around. However, as she increased the engine power, the nose landing gear collapsed and the airplane slid nose down to a stop on the runway. Several engine mount tubes fractured when the nose landing gear collapsed aft.

The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane. Additionally, she reported that the wind conditions at the time of the accident exceeded her personal limitations and that the accident could have been prevented had she began the go-around after the first bounced landing. Recorded wind at the time of the accident was 340° at 12 knots gust to 19 knots.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN25LA134 for the full record.