Probable cause
The student pilot’s improper flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
NTSB analysis
The student pilot was performing a supervised solo flight in the airport traffic pattern. Following an uneventful circuit around the traffic pattern, and while on final approach to the runway, the pilot held the airplane in a nose-low attitude in order to avoid losing airspeed. The pilot then flared the airplane “too late,” and the nose landing gear impacted the runway hard, resulting in substantial damage to the engine firewall. The pilot did not report any pre-impact mechanical anomalies of the airplane, nor were any discovered during post-accident examination of the airframe.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA13CA246 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- May 14, 2013
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Oxford, North Carolina
- Nearest airport
- Henderson-Oxford Airport (HNZ)
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Cessna 152
- N-number
- N4844H
- Category
- Airplane
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Instructional
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.