Cessna 152 accident near Spring, Texas, November 3, 2008
On November 3, 2008 at about 5:20 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N47221, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Spring, Texas (David Wayne Hooks Memorial airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Failure of the student pilot to apply appropriate actions following a bounced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 3, 2008 · about 5:20 pm local time
- Place
- Spring, Texas · David Wayne Hooks Memorial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N47221 · no longer on the register · serial 15283190
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While performing a full-stop landing, the solo student pilot's improper flare resulted in a "bounced landing." During the recovery, the airplane began to porpoise. The airplane's third contact with the runway occurred in a nose-low attitude, collapsing the airplane's nose landing gear and damaging the airplane's firewall.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Total experience in position › Student pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Student pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Incorrect use/operation
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 41 hours in all; 41 in this make and model; 2 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,194 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 30, 2008; 92 hours since
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0-235 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DWH Spring TX
- Destination: DWH Spring TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17R, 7,009 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.19 inHg
- Observation at 5:20 pm from DWH
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.