NTSB Factual Report

On April 16, 2002, at 0855 central daylight time, a Cessna 152, N752AA, piloted by a student pilot, sustained substantial damage while landing on runway 10 (2,796 feet by 60 feet, dry/asphalt) at the Maple Lake Municipal Airport, Maple Lake, Minnesota. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The solo instructional flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The flight departed the Lake Elmo Airport, Lake Elmo, Minnesota, at 0800.

According to the student pilot's written statement, while on approach to the runway at approximately 50 feet above ground level (agl) the airplane encountered "windshear." The pilot reported, "Main gear hit runway hard, plane bounced three times - third time in grass [left] of runway, nose gear failed, aircraft went up on nose, fell bank on main gear."

The student pilot reported he had a total flight time of 51.2 hours, of which 12.0 hours were as pilot-in-command. The student pilot reported he had flown 37 hours in the last 90 days, all of which were in the Cessna 152. The student pilot stated he had flown 4.4 hours in the last 30 days and 0.5 hour during the last 24 hours.

A weather observation station located at the Maple Lake Municipal Airport (MGG) recorded the weather approximately one minute prior to the accident as:

Observation Time: 0854 cdt

Wind: 180 degrees magnetic at 15 knots

Visibility: 10 statute miles

Sky Condition: Broken clouds at 2,200 feet agl

Temperature: 22 degrees Celsius

Dew Point: 18 degrees Celsius

Pressure: 29.51 inches of mercury

NTSB Probable Cause

The student pilot's inadequate flare and compensation for the crosswind condition during landing. A factor to the accident was the crosswind condition.