Hampton Roads Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Portsmouth, Virginia 23321
Friday, November 15, 1991 13:00 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE STUDENT PILOT WAS PREPARING TO PRACTICE FULL STOP LANDINGS ON RUNWAY 20. HE WAS ON HIS FIRST LANDING WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. HE REPORTED THAT HE FLEW A STABILIZED 62 MPH FINAL APPROACH SPEED WITH FULL FLAPS AND ENOUGH POWER TO STAY ON GLIDE PATH. HE STATED THAT HE REDUCED TO IDLE POWER AS THE AIRCRAFT CROSSED THE THRESHOLD. THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED ON TOUCHDOWN, FOLLOWED BY A SECOND BOUNCE WHICH CAUSED THE NOSE GEAR TO COLLAPSE. THE PILOT DOES NOT RECALL ADDING ANY POWER OR ADJUSTING THE PITCH TO THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN ATTITUDE. THE CLUB'S CHIEF CFI STATED THAT HE ENCOUNTERED SOME VERTICAL WIND SHEAR DURING FINAL AND ON TOUCHDOWN. THE APPROACH END OF THIS RUNWAY IS SURROUNDED BY TREES AND THERE IS ALWAYS TURBULENCE IN THE VICINITY ACCORDING TO THE CFI. THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS WITH THE AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER FLARE ATTITUDE DURING THE LANDING FLARE/TOUCHDOWN AND HIS FAILURE TO INITIATE RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/15/1991
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City PORTSMOUTH
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 23321
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport HAMPTON ROADS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PVG
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 23
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1250 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 355
Weather Observation Facility ID PHF
Elevation of weather observation facility 43
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4200
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) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1629
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45317
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:50AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3072V
NTSB Number BFO92LA009
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 150
Aircraft Series Identifier 150
Aircraft Serial Number 15076377
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Nov 13 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 5
Airframe Hours 5484
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name UNITED STATES NAVY
Aircraft Owner Street Address NAVAL AIR STATION
Aircraft Owner City NORFOLK
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 23511
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WILLIAM P O'DONNELL
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 908 EARL OFCHATHAM LANE
Operator City VIRGINIA BEACH
Operator State VA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 23454
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code NGU
Departure City NORFOLK
Departure State VA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1230
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
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 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 2
Runway Length 3524
Runway Width 70
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --