Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Gloucester, Virginia 23061
Sunday, September 20, 1992 14:46 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE 26 HOUR STUDENT PILOT WAS ON HER THIRD SUPERVISED SOLO FLIGHT, THE FIRST OUTSIDE THE AIRPORT TRAFFIC PATTERN. SHE WAS INSTRUCTED TO PRACTICE SEVERAL MANEUVERS, INCLUDING POWER OFF IMMINENT STALLS, WHICH SHE HAD PERFORMED ON A DUAL FLIGHT, EARLIER ON THE ACCIDENT DATE. RADAR DATA SHOWS THE AIRPLANE DOING SEVERAL MANUEVERS, INCLUDING SLOW FLIGHT AT AN AIRSPEED OF ABOUT 65 KNOTS. PRECEDING THE ACCIDENT, THE AIRPLANE WAS AT 2400 FEET MSL AND SLOWED TO 41 KNOTS AIRSPEED. THE AIRPLANE THEN DESCENDED 1000 FEET IN ABOUT 12 SECONDS BEFORE RADAR DATA WAS LOST. THE AIRPLANE CRASHED IN A WOODED AREA, STRIKING TREES IN A STEEP DESCENT ANGLE. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST INVERTED. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE DID NOT DISCLOSE EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. THE FLAPS WERE FULL DOWN.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO RECOVER FROM AN INTENTIONAL STALL, WHICH RESLUTED IN INFLIGHT COLLISION WITH THE GROUND. PILOT INEXPERIENCE IS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/20/1992
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1446
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City GLOUCESTER
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 23061
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1550 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 190
Weather Observation Facility ID PHF
Elevation of weather observation facility 43
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 25
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 5000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1031
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 20 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:17PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N46076
NTSB Number BFO92FA153
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 152
Aircraft Series Identifier 152
Aircraft Serial Number 15282996
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Sep 1 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 24
Airframe Hours 5084
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name USAF LANGLEY AERO CLUB
Aircraft Owner Street Address PO BOX 686
Aircraft Owner City HAMPTON
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 23665
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name USAF LANGLEY AERO CLUB
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address PO BOX 686
Operator City HAMTON
Operator State VA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 23665
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code LFI
Departure City LANGLEY AFB
Departure State VA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1405
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code LFI
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --