Cessna 152 accident near Redlands, California, November 23, 1996
On November 23, 1996 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N6096Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Redlands, California (Redlands Municipal 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 pilot's improper landing flare and recovery from a subsequent bounced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 23, 1996 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Redlands, California · Redlands Municipal · 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
- N6096Q · registry record · serial 15285124
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter-rated private pilot was receiving instruction to add an airplane single engine land rating to his license, and had logged 38 hours in fixed wing aircraft. On his second touch-and-go landing approach he intended to perform a short field landing. The pilot flared too high causing the airplane to bounce, and then lowered the nose of the aircraft to arrest the bounce. On the second bounce the aircraft landed hard on the nose wheel, collapsing the nose wheel, and nosed over.
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: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 126 hours in all; 38 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days; 38 in the last 30 days; 33 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,333 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 20, 1996; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,675 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L12 at 9:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 4,505 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:21 pm from 0NT, 22 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.
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.