Cessna 152 accident near Miami, Florida, February 10, 2012
On February 10, 2012 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N67973, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Miami, Florida (Kendall-Tamiami 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's improper flare and recovery from a bounced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 10, 2012 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Miami, Florida · Kendall-Tamiami · 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
- N67973 · registry record · serial 15282121
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was conducting his second solo flight. He reported that he felt the wind shift to a light tailwind just prior to landing on runway 27L, and, when the airplane touched down, it bounced and became airborne again. During the subsequent touchdown, the airplane landed hard, and the nose gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall. In addition, the propeller and left wing contacted the ground. No preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures were found that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported 29 hours of total flight experience, which included 2 hours of solo flight time, all in the same make and model as the accident airplane. The wind reported at the airport about the time of the accident was from 160 degrees at 7 knots.
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
- Landing gear collapse during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Incorrect use/operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Student pilot
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 29 hours in all; 29 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,480 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 30, 2011; 84 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0-235 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Lily Aviation Corp.
The flight
- Departed from: X51 Homestead FL at 5:40 pm
- Destination: TMB Miami FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27L, 4,999 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,000 ft; a few clouds at 2,300 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from TMB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA12CA178.