Cessna 152 accident near Durant, Oklahoma, April 7, 2003
On April 7, 2003 at about 8:20 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N116SS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Durant, Oklahoma (Eaker Field 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
The student pilot's improper landing flare resulting in a hard landing and his improper recovery procedures for a bounced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 7, 2003 · about 8:20 pm local time
- Place
- Durant, Oklahoma · Eaker Field Airport · 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
- N116SS · no longer on the register · serial 7582334
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 17-hour student pilot, on his first solo flight, made one successful landing. On the second landing on runway 35, the aircraft bounced, and then bounced again to a height of approximately 20-30 feet. The aircraft nosed down and impacted the runway on its nose landing gear. The winds at the time of the accident were reported from 350 degrees at 12 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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 17 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 1 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,621.1 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 6, 2003; 17.2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Avco Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DUA Durant OK at 7:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 5,001 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 10 knots, gusting 12
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
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 N116SS 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.