Palo Alto Of Santa Clara Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Palo Alto, California 94303
Saturday, April 5, 1986 15:16 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PURPOSE OF THE DUAL INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT WAS FOR THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT TO CHECK OUT A PRIVATE PILOT IN THE CONVENTIONAL GEAR CESSNA 140 AIRCRAFT. AFTER A SERIES OF UNEVENTFUL FULL STOP & TOUCH & GO LANDINGS, THE STUDENT WAS DIRECTED TO LAND. THE CFI & A GROUND BASED WITNESS REPORTED THAT THE ACFT LANDED NORMALLY. THE WITNESS REPORTED THAT DURING THE LAST PORTION OF THE ACFT'S ROLL OUT THE SURFACE WIND PROVIDED THE ACFT WITH A TAILWIND COMPONENT. THE CFI REPORTED THAT HER STUDENT 'CAME UP ON THE BRAKES' & SHE DIRECTED HIM NOT TO BRAKE. THE CFI FURTHER STATED THAT DESPITE HER EFFORT AT SAVING THE ACFT BY APPLYING BACK PRESSURE TO THE YOKE, SHE LOST CONTROL & THE ACFT NOSED OVER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/5/1986
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1516
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City PALO ALTO
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 94303
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PALO ALTO OF SANTA CLARA
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PAO
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 5
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 1515 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID PAO
Elevation of weather observation facility 5
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 15
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 20
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
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) 2111
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 8 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 805
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 32668
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 3:38PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N89374
NTSB Number LAX86LA168
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 140
Aircraft Series Identifier 140
Aircraft Serial Number 8406
Certified Max Gross Weight 1450
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 Oct 21 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 8
Airframe Hours 3616
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KENT M. KUSAKA
Aircraft Owner Street Address 854 CAMBRIDGE AVE.
Aircraft Owner City MENLO PARK
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 94025
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PALO ALTO FLYING CLUB
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1901 EMBARCADERO RD.
Operator City PALO ALTO
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 94303
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code PAO
Departure City PALO ALTO
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1430
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code PAO
Destination City PALO ALTO
Destination State CA
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 30
Runway Length 2500
Runway Width 65
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --