| Crash location | 33.171945°N, 97.823611°W |
| Nearest city | Bridgeport, TX
33.210116°N, 97.754755°W 4.8 miles away |
| Tail number | N6459M |
|---|---|
| Accident date | 20 Aug 2005 |
| Aircraft type | Cessna 152 |
| Additional details: | None |
On August 20, 2005, at 1100 central daylight time, a single-engine Cessna 152 airplane, N6459M, sustained substantial damage during landing at the Bridgeport Municipal Airport (XPB), near Bridgeport, Texas. The flight instructor and student pilot were not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the instructional flight conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
In a written statement, the flight instructor stated that he and the student pilot departed Bridgeport Airport about 0915 and flew west of the airport to practice maneuvers. About an hour later, they returned to the airport with the intent to practice touch and go landings on Runway 17. At that time of the mishap, the wind was from 200 degrees at 9 knots gusting to 14 knots; and the flight instructor was also teaching the student crosswind landing techniques. He said, "As we came in for the touch and go, we were left of centerline just before touchdown. My student did not flare as much as he should have, causing the airplane to land harder than desired. This caused us to bounce into the air. The condition of the bounce combined with the crosswind caused us to bounce further to the left. It was at this point that I took control of the airplane...and attempted to bring us back to the center of the runway to no avail." When the airplane bounced a second time, the left main landing gear wheel entered the grass along the left side of the runway, which dragged the rest of the airplane onto the grass. As the airplane slowed down, the nose wheel collapsed and the airplane flipped-over on its back.
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector performed an on-scene examination of the airplane. According to the inspector, the engine firewall, both wing spars, and the vertical stabilizer sustained structural damage. The landing gear and propeller were also damaged.
The flight instructor reported a total of 360 hours, of which, 75 hours were in same make and model. In addition, he reported there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane.
The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions, and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action during a crosswind landing resulting in a loss of directional control.