Norwood Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Norwood, Massachusetts 02062
Friday, May 10, 2002 12:45 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During a supervised solo flight, the student pilot was in the traffic pattern preparing for his fourth landing when the control tower advised of variable winds, which included a crosswind. The student pilot described the wind conditions as "gusty". When the airplane was about to touchdown on runway 28, it ballooned, then bounced, and drifted to the right. Then, the nose pitched up abruptly, and the right wing dropped. The airplane then veered to the right, toward a tree line. The student pilot applied full power, leveled the wings, and the airplane began to climb. However, there was not enough altitude to clear the tree tops. Weather at the airport included winds from 300 degrees at 10 knots, gusting to 17 knots.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during an aborted landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/10/2002
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1245
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City NORWOOD
Event State MASSACHUSETTS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 02062
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 421126N
Event Location Longitude 0711038W
Event Location Airport NORWOOD MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID OWD
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 50
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1200 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID OWD
Elevation of weather observation facility 50
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 17
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.98
Density Altitude (feet) 697
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 12859
NTSB Notification Source NEROC
NTSB Notification Date May 10 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1428
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jan 9 2004 2:03PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office BOSTON

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N172EF
NTSB Number IAD02LA050
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 172
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17280876
Certified Max Gross Weight 2457
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Feb 21 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 65.1
Airframe Hours 745.1
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RH HAMMER AVIATION INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City NORWOOD
Aircraft Owner State MA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 02062
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 OWD
Departure City NORWOOD
Departure State MA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1245
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country VM
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - aborted
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jan 9 2004 2:03PM
User who most recently changed record JOHB
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 28
Runway Length 4001
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --