NTSB Factual Report

On August 28, 2005, about 2118 central daylight time, a single-engine Cessna 152 airplane, N4670B, was substantially damaged following a loss of control during landing at the Richard Lloyd Jones Jr. Airport (RVS), near Tulsa, Oklahoma. The instrument rated private pilot, the sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured. The airplane was owned and operated by Spartan Aviation Industries, Inc., of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The local flight originated from RVS at approximately 2020.

The 264-hour pilot reported that he was on final approach for his eighth night landing of the evening when he observed that he was "high" for runway 1R (a 4,208 foot by 100 foot asphalt runway). The pilot initiated a forward slip to lose altitude and the airplane momentarily touched down on the runway before becoming airborne again. The pilot attempted to hold the airplane in a flare but it "started going into oscillations." He then attempted to "go around", but approximately five feet above the ground (agl) the airplane stalled and impacted the runway. The nose landing gear collapsed and the airplane departed the edge of the runway into soft terrain, nosed over, and came to rest in an inverted position.

The pilot further reported that there was no mechanical malfunction or failure with the airplane.

A Federal Aviation Administration inspector, who examined the airplane, reported that the fuselage, vertical stabilizer, and wings sustained structural damage.

The pilot reported calm winds, visibility 10 statute miles, clear skies, temperature 75 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 65 degrees Fahrenheit and a barometric pressure setting of 29.91 inches of Mercury.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing. A contributing factor was the dark night conditions.