Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Green Valley, Arizona 85614
Sunday, February 12, 1989 16:55 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING CRUISE FLIGHT, THE STUDENT PILOT INITIALLY REPORTED, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A BIRD. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE RUDDER CONTROL WAS NOT OPERATING AND DURING THE FORCED LANDING ON A HIGHWAY THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A TRANSMISSION WIRE. IT WAS POINTED OUT THAT THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF A BIRD STRIKE. THE PILOT THEN CHANGED HIS STORY AND STATED THAT HE COLLIDED WITH A PARACHUTIST. THERE WAS NO REPORT OF A MISSING PERSON OR INCIDENT IN THE AREA. THE PILOT THEN STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH SOMETHING. A ROUND GOUGE WAS FOUND ON THE TOP ONE THIRD OF THE VERTICAL STABILIZER. THE STABILIZER WAS BENT SLIGHTLY TO THE LEFT SIDE AND PARTIALLY JAMMED THE MOVEMENT OF THE RUDDER. THE STUDENT PILOT WAS CARRYING A PASSENGER WHO STATED THAT HE WAS ASLEEP AND HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE ACCIDENT THE STUDENT PILOT DID NOT FILE AN ACCIDENT REPORT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE STUDENT PILOT DISPLAYED POOR JUDGEMENT IN NOT MAINTAINING PROPER ALTITUDE. A FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S OVERALL LACK OF EXPERIENCE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/12/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1655
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City GREEN VALLEY
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85614
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 2
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1650 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID TUS
Elevation of weather observation facility 2641
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 17000
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) 70
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 18
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 358
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 14 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 730
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38737
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:28PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5496B
NTSB Number LAX89LA110
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 152
Aircraft Series Identifier 152
Aircraft Serial Number 15283886
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GREGORY, GEORGE T. JR.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6660 S. CRAYCROFT RD.
Aircraft Owner City TUCSON
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85706
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DOUBLE EAGLE AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 6961 S. APRON DR.
Operator City TUCSON
Operator State AZ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 85706
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code TUS
Departure City TUCSON
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
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 Landing
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --