Chippewa Valley Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Eau Claire, Wisconsin 54703
Thursday, May 30, 1996 17:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While performing practice crosswind landings, the student pilot pushed the yoke forward in the flare. The flight instructor said that he could not react in time, and the airplane struck nose gear first, collapsing the nose gear. When the nose gear collapsed, the upper-scissor assembly penetrated the belly skin and ruptured the main fuel line between the low-point drain and the gascolator. Subsequently, a fire erupted and the airplane was destroyed.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the flight instructor's inadequate supervision. A factor relating to the accident was: the student pilot's improper flare.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/30/1996
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1700
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City EAU CLAIRE
Event State WISCONSIN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 54703
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CHIPPEWA VALLEY REGIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID EAU
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 907
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1651 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID EAU
Elevation of weather observation facility 907
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 2015
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 412
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 30 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1902
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 9:59AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N94647
NTSB Number CHI96LA180
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 152
Aircraft Series Identifier 152
Aircraft Serial Number 15285749
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 17 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HEARTLAND AVIATION, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3800 STARR AVE STE 1
Aircraft Owner City EAU CLAIRE
Aircraft Owner State WI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 54703
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code EAU
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1630
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code EAU
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 22
Runway Length 7301
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --