Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ventura, California 93003
Saturday, December 21, 1991 16:52 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A CESSNA 152 COLLIDED WITH SLOPING TERRAIN WHILE ON AN INTRODUCTORY FLIGHT LESSON ADMINISTERED TO A TO A PROSPECTIVE PILOT BY A CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI). THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED AT A LOW ALTITUDE IN A STEEP CLIMB. THE AIRPLANE THEN DESCEND VERTICALLY IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE UNTIL IT IMPACTED THE GROUND. ONE EYE WITNESS DESCRIBED THE ENGINE NOISE AS LOUD WITHOUT SPUTTERING OR STOPPING. THE WITNESS ALSO INDICATED THAT THE AIRPLANE DID NOT APPEAR TO BE TRAILING SMOKE AS IT DESCENDED. THE WRECKAGE WAS DESTROYED BY A POST IMPACT FIRE. THE CFI WAS CERTIFIED ABOUT SEVEN MONTHS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT AND HAD ACCRUED ABOUT 169 FLIGHT HOURS AS A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION NOTED DURING THE WRECKAGE EXAMINATION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE ALTITUDE ABOVE THE GROUND TO RECOVER FROM AN INADVERTENT STALL. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S HANDLING OF THE AIRCRAFT SPECIFICALLY AN EXCESSIVE ANGLE OF ATTACK WHICH RESULTED IN REDUCED AIRSPEED AND SUBSEQUENT STALL.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/21/1991
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1652
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City VENTURA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93003
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 12
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 1649 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 110
Weather Observation Facility ID CMA
Elevation of weather observation facility 75
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 15000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2079
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46447
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:53AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N69028
NTSB Number LAX92FA067
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 152
Aircraft Series Identifier 152
Aircraft Serial Number 85344
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Unknown
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 16 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 5
Airframe Hours 4535
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CHANNEL ISLANDS AVIATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address 305 DURLEY AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City CAMARILLO
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93010
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CHANNEL ISLANDS AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 305 DURLEY AVENUE
Operator City CAMARILLO
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 93010
Operator Code WP01
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code CMA
Departure City CAMARILLO
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1646
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
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 --