Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Napa, California 94558
Tuesady, July 23, 1991 19:45 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE CFI PLANNED TO DEMONSTRATE TO HIS STUDENT HOW TO EXECUTE AN EMERGENCY LANDING. THE CFI CLOSED THE THROTTLE AND DESCENDED TO LESS THAN 50 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL BEFORE HE ATTEMPTED TO ADD ENGINE POWER IN TERMINATION OF THE DEMONSTRATION. AS THE ENGINE POWER WAS BEING RESTORED, THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED A FEW FEET, CONTACTED THE GROUND AND NOSED OVER. GUSTY SURFACE WINDS EXISTED. THE CFI REPORTED THAT HE HAD NOT MAINTAINED A 'SUFFICIENT BUFFER ZONE OF SAFETY' DURING DEMONSTRATION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE CFI'S FAILURE TO INITIATE THE GO-AROUND MANEUVER IN A TIMELY MANNER, AND HIS FAILURE TO TERMINATE THE SIMULATED EMERGENCY MANEUVER AT A PROPER ALTITUDE. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE GUSTY SURFACE WIND.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/23/1991
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1945
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City NAPA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 94558
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 7
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1593
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45234
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:32AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5352D
NTSB Number LAX91LA325
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172N
Aircraft Series Identifier 172N
Aircraft Serial Number 17272539
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BRIDGEFORD FLYING SVC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2030 AIRPORT RD.
Operator City NAPA
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 94558
Operator Code AWQR
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1925
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code OQ9
Destination City SONOMA
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
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 --