Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Long Beach, California 90801
Monday, June 15, 1987 11:45 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRCRAFT DITCHED IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN WHILE ON A VFR INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT. BOTH PILOTS INDICATED THAT THE ENGINE STOPPED ABRUPTLY AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO RESTART IT. THE PROPELLER WOULD NOT TURN WHEN THE STARTER WAS ENGAGED, NOR WOULD IT WINDMILL. THE CFI DITCHED THE AIRPLANE AND THEN ASSISTED THE STUDENT PILOT OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT THROUGH HIS EXIT. THE STUDENT PILOT HAD INDICATED THAT SHE WAS UNABLE TO OPEN HER DOOR OR UNFASTEN HER SEAT BELT ALTHOUGH SHE SUSTAINED NO INJURY. THE CFI AND THE STUDENT PILOT THEN TREADED WATER FOR APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES BEFORE THEY WERE RESCUED BY A BOAT. BOTH PILOTS REPORTED THAT THERE WAS NO FLOATATION DEVICES ABOARD THE AIRCRAFT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS UNABLE TO BE LOCATED AFTER IT SANK AND THEREFORE WAS NOT RECOVERED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/15/1987
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1145
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City LONG BEACH
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 90801
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 6
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 1200 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 15
Weather Observation Facility ID LGB
Elevation of weather observation facility 57
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
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) 26
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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) 1582
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 15 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1145
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 34943
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:29PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N115RJ
NTSB Number LAX87LA235
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 152
Aircraft Series Identifier 152
Aircraft Serial Number 15283804
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection May 4 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 55
Airframe Hours 2650
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RAY-JEAN BULL AVIATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address 23212 STELLA COURT
Aircraft Owner City EL TORO
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92630
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name RAY-JEAN BULL AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 23212 STELLA COURT
Operator City EL TORO
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 92630
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code LGB
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1100
Departure Time Zone PDT
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 10:35AM
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 --