Arlington Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Arlington, Texas 76018
Friday, February 8, 2008 12:11 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During a solo long cross country flight the student pilot stated that he failed to touchdown at either destination airport because of strong headwinds and gusty surface winds. During his return to his departure airport the student pilot stated that he did a go-around on his first landing attempt because of surface winds which he recalled were gusting to 37 knots. On the second landing attempt the student pilot stated that a gust of wind pushed him down to the runway. The airplane then bounced and landed hard on the nose gear causing structural damage to the nose gear and the firewall. A review of the student pilot's logbook shows the flight instructor had cleared the student pilot for the solo long cross country flight even though the student pilot's logbook endorsement showed a maximum surface wind limitation of 20 knots.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The student pilot's improper landing flare resulting in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident were the gusty surface winds and the student pilot's inadequate preflight planning.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/8/2008
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1211
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Arlington
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 76018
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 323983N
Event Location Longitude 0970565W
Event Location Airport Arlington Municipal
Event Location Nearest Airport ID F54
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 628
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1153 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID KGKY
Elevation of weather observation facility 628
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
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) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 27
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.87
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 23639
NTSB Notification Source Fort Worth FSDO
NTSB Notification Date Apr 7 2008 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record May 28 2008 12:03PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Fort Worth Texas

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N24768
NTSB Number DFW08CA093
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 152
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 15280366
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 Jan 1 2008 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 7808
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Skymates Inc
Aircraft Owner Street Address 160 GREENTREE DR STE 101
Aircraft Owner City Dover
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19904
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Skymates Inc.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 5080 S. COLLINS STREET Suite 104,
Operator City Arlington
Operator State TX
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 76018
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 F54
Departure City ARLINGTON
Departure State TX
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code F54
Destination City Arlington
Destination State TX
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - flare/touchdown
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 15 2008 10:10AM
User who most recently changed record GAMW
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 16
Runway Length 6080
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --