California City Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

California City, California 93505
Tuesady, May 15, 1990 14:02 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE STUDENT PILOT, WHO HAD LOGGED 130 HOURS OF FLIGHT TIME, FLEW HIS AIRPLANE FOR 1.5 HOURS AND PRACTICED GROUND REFERENCE MANEUVERS. HE THEN ATTEMPTED TO LAND. DURING THE LANDING FLARE A GUST WAS ENCOUNTERED, AND THE PILOT DECIDED TO GO-AROUND. THE PILOT APPLIED FULL ENGINE POWER. THE NOSE WHEEL CONTACTED THE GROUND AND THE AIRCRAFT PORPOISED. THEREAFTER, THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF HIS AIRCRAFT AND IT TOUCHED DOWN SO HARD THAT IT 'BROKE IN HALF.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER LANDING FLARE. A FACTOR RELATED TO ACCIDENT WAS THE GUSTY WIND CONDITION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/15/1990
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1402
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City CALIFORNIA CITY
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93505
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CALIFORNIA CITY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID L71
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 2437
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
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 Not Reported
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
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 Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1487
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 15 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1515
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42796
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7406A
NTSB Number LAX90LA174
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 172
Aircraft Series Identifier 172
Aircraft Serial Number 29506
Certified Max Gross Weight 2200
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 --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MICHAEL J. HOCEVAR
Aircraft Owner Street Address 45702 FIG
Aircraft Owner City LANCASTER
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93534
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 WJF
Departure City LANCASTER
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1230
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 24
Runway Length 6035
Runway Width 55
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --