Cessna 152 accident near Chesterfield, Missouri, January 14, 1996
On January 14, 1996 at about 3:35 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N24311, was destroyed in an accident near Chesterfield, Missouri (Spirit Of St. Louis airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot misjudged the flare and performed an improper recovery from a bounced landing. A factor was the inadequate ground instruction concerning recovery from a bounced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 14, 1996 · about 3:35 pm local time
- Place
- Chesterfield, Missouri · Spirit Of St. Louis · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N24311 · no longer on the register · serial 15280209
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot reported that he was on his first unsupervised solo, and was practicing touch-and-go's. On the first landing he hit hard and began to porpoise. He tried to set an approach attitude after the third bounce, but lost directional control on the ground. The airplane was heading for a row of hangars so he attempted to takeoff, but was unable to clear the hangars. The airplane struck the hangars at the roof line and came to a stop. The student pilot's instructor reported that instruction concerning porpoising had been discussed. The student pilot recalled that he had received instruction about porpoising, but it had not been discussed in detail. He had been told to set an approach attitude, but was uncertain exactly what that meant. Parts of the wheel rim were found on the runway.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 25 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 2 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,556 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 7, 1995; 76 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SUS at 3:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26R, 3,800 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:35 pm from SUS, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N24311 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.