Narrative:

This incident involves a student of mine who has approximately 30 hours of part 141 training. I signed him off for his first solo cross country flight. On his return to the bil logan airport he had a bad landing resulting in very minimal damage to the nose cowling of the C152 and the airport losing 2-3 runway lights. I was not at the airport when the incident took place, but from another witness's account and speaking with the student, I believe I have pieced together what happened. The wind was 190 degrees at 8-12 KTS as he made an approach to runway 25. He said he recognized that he had a bit of a crosswind and at about 20 ft AGL, put the airplane in a slip to compensate. At this time, he also heard the stall warning horn and added some power. This is when he drifted enough to strike 2-3 runway lights. The cause of the problem was twofold. First, he should have reacted to the slow airspeed and unstable short final with a go around. The other problem was the runway to which he was making his approach. He was given instructions before departure that he was to use runways most in line with the wind. Given the wind was 190 degrees and that the bil airport has a runway 16, this would have given him an easier approach and landing. As an instructor, it has helped me to recognize the importance of emphasizing the use of gars and the negative aspects of trying to force a landing from a bad approach. I believe in drilling crosswind approachs and lndgs. Yet, given the difficulties student pilots have with xwinds, a go around and/or choosing correct runways in relationship to the wind should be practiced regularly as well.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LNDG ACCIDENT, HITS RWY LIGHTS.

Narrative: THIS INCIDENT INVOLVES A STUDENT OF MINE WHO HAS APPROX 30 HRS OF PART 141 TRAINING. I SIGNED HIM OFF FOR HIS FIRST SOLO XCOUNTRY FLT. ON HIS RETURN TO THE BIL LOGAN ARPT HE HAD A BAD LNDG RESULTING IN VERY MINIMAL DAMAGE TO THE NOSE COWLING OF THE C152 AND THE ARPT LOSING 2-3 RWY LIGHTS. I WAS NOT AT THE ARPT WHEN THE INCIDENT TOOK PLACE, BUT FROM ANOTHER WITNESS'S ACCOUNT AND SPEAKING WITH THE STUDENT, I BELIEVE I HAVE PIECED TOGETHER WHAT HAPPENED. THE WIND WAS 190 DEGS AT 8-12 KTS AS HE MADE AN APCH TO RWY 25. HE SAID HE RECOGNIZED THAT HE HAD A BIT OF A XWIND AND AT ABOUT 20 FT AGL, PUT THE AIRPLANE IN A SLIP TO COMPENSATE. AT THIS TIME, HE ALSO HEARD THE STALL WARNING HORN AND ADDED SOME PWR. THIS IS WHEN HE DRIFTED ENOUGH TO STRIKE 2-3 RWY LIGHTS. THE CAUSE OF THE PROB WAS TWOFOLD. FIRST, HE SHOULD HAVE REACTED TO THE SLOW AIRSPD AND UNSTABLE SHORT FINAL WITH A GAR. THE OTHER PROB WAS THE RWY TO WHICH HE WAS MAKING HIS APCH. HE WAS GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE DEP THAT HE WAS TO USE RWYS MOST IN LINE WITH THE WIND. GIVEN THE WIND WAS 190 DEGS AND THAT THE BIL ARPT HAS A RWY 16, THIS WOULD HAVE GIVEN HIM AN EASIER APCH AND LNDG. AS AN INSTRUCTOR, IT HAS HELPED ME TO RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF EMPHASIZING THE USE OF GARS AND THE NEGATIVE ASPECTS OF TRYING TO FORCE A LNDG FROM A BAD APCH. I BELIEVE IN DRILLING XWIND APCHS AND LNDGS. YET, GIVEN THE DIFFICULTIES STUDENT PLTS HAVE WITH XWINDS, A GAR AND/OR CHOOSING CORRECT RWYS IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE WIND SHOULD BE PRACTICED REGULARLY AS WELL.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.