Cessna 152 accident near Easton, Maryland, August 23, 2013
On August 23, 2013 at about 2:34 pm local time, a 1981 Cessna 152, registered N4922P, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Easton, Maryland (Easton/Newman Field). 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
The use of an improper nose landing gear through bolt, which decreased the overall strength of the gear and resulted in overload failure during a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the student pilot's inadequate landing flare, which resulted in the hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 23, 2013 · about 2:34 pm local time
- Place
- Easton, Maryland · Easton/Newman Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152, built 1981 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N4922P · no longer on the register · serial 15284842
- 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 landing at the first of two intended stops on the solo cross-country flight. She stated that she felt the main landing gear touch down on the runway first, followed by the nose landing gear. The airplane bounced, and the student pilot subsequently observed the airplane's nosewheel rolling down the runway in front of the airplane. The airplane settled back onto the runway and came to rest upright. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine firewall. An air traffic controller who observed the landing stated that the airplane touched down, porpoised, and bounced twice before impacting the runway at what appeared to be a steep angle. Postaccident examination revealed that the nosewheel exhibited impact damage to the rim. Postaccident examination of the nose landing gear assembly revealed that the landing gear through bolt had fractured in shear overload. Further examination revealed that the bolt measured 5/16 inch in diameter. However, the bolt manufacturer specified that a 7/16-inch-diameter bolt should be used. Review of maintenance records could not determine when the 5/16-inch bolt was installed or how many hours of operation the airplane had accrued since the installation. Additionally, the bolt head was not recovered, and it could not be determined if the 5/16-inch bolt installed on the airplane met standard aircraft specifications. Generally, a 5/16-inch bolt would be expected to have half of the shear strength rating of a 7/16-inch bolt.
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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Part(s) separation from AC during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Nose/tail gear strut/axle › Incorrect service/maintenance
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Nose/tail gear strut/axle › Failure
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Student/instructed pilot
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 29 hours in all; 29 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 2 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 15, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,839 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 20, 2013; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 SERIES (piston); 1,770 hours total
- Operator: Patuxent River Navy Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: NHK Patuxent River MD at 1:55 pm
- Destination: ESN Easton MD
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 04, 5,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 18,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 pm from ESN
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.
Other NTSB records under N4922P 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.