Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

On September 5, 1996, at 1000 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 150M, N704QR, landed hard at Boulder Municipal Airport, Boulder, Colorado. The student pilot was not injured and the aircraft sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for this local area student solo training flight operating under Title 14 CFR Part 91 and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated approximately 30 minutes prior to the accident.

According to the student pilot, when he flared the aircraft for landing it ballooned. He said he pushed over and the aircraft touched down on the nose landing gear and bounced back in the air. On the second touchdown, which was also on the nose landing gear, the nose gear collapsed and the aircraft slid to a stop on the runway.

The student pilot said he felt uncomfortable in the aircraft as this was his first solo in the Cessna 150. His previous solo flight had been in a Cessna 152. According to the student, he had a total of 3 hours in the Cessna 150. an improper flare by the student pilot, and his improper recovery from a bounced landing. A factor relating to the accident was: the student pilot's lack of experience in the type (model) of aircraft.