New London Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Forest, Virginia 24551
Wednesday, May 8, 2002 18:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The student pilot was conducting her second solo flight in the airplane. She had completed four uneventful full-stop landings; however, on the fifth landing attempt, she flared high and landed hard. The airplane began to porpoise and then departed the left side of the runway, where it nosed over and came to rest. The student pilot said she did not add power, or attempt a go-around during the landing attempt. The student pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions with the airplane, and had 32 hours of total flight experience, all in make and model.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The student pilot's improper flare and failure to recover from a bounced landing, which resulted in a nose over.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/8/2002
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1830
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Forest
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 24551
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 371618N
Event Location Longitude 0792009W
Event Location Airport New London Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID W90
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 849
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1854 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 243
Weather Observation Facility ID LYH
Elevation of weather observation facility 938
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 7
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 9
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.08
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 12370
NTSB Notification Source FAA EROC
NTSB Notification Date May 9 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Oct 24 2002 3:20PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Richmond

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N63123
NTSB Number NYC02LA095
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 152M
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 15077119
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Rucker Tibbs
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Forest
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 24175
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 W90
Departure City Forest
Departure State VA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1730
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code W90
Destination City FOREST
Destination State --
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - flare/touchdown
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Sep 11 2002 1:33PM
User who most recently changed record PEAR
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 16
Runway Length 3164
Runway Width 40
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --