Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Irwindale, California 91706
Sunday, April 9, 1989 17:02 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A CESSNA 152 COLLIDED WITH A FENCE DURING A FORCED LANDING. AT 4,000 FT MSL, THE CFI SWITCHED THE FUEL SHUT OFF VALVE TO THE OFF POSITION TO SIMULATE AN ENG FAILURE. THE STUDENT PILOT SWITCHED THE FUEL SHUT OFF VALVE TO THE ON POSITION. THE ENG DID NOT REGAIN RPM. THE CFI THEN 'DOUBLE CHECKED' TO SEE THAT THE STUDENT SWITCHED THE FUEL SHUT OFF VALVE TO THE 'ON' POSITION. THE ENG BEGAN TO FIRE AND THEN QUIT. THE CFI THEN CHECKED THE FUEL SHUT OFF VALVE AGAIN ALONG WITH THE MIXTURE CTRL, MAGNETOS, AND ENG PRIMER. AT 2000 FT MSL THE PROPELLER STOPPED TURNING. THE CFI ENGAGED THE STARTER IN AN ATTEMPT TO RESTART THE ENG. THE CFI OVERSHOT THE INTENDED LANDING AREA AND SELECTED ANOTHER ROAD AND LANDED SHORT OF IT. THE ACFT STRUCK A FENCE AND NOSED OVER. THE ACFT WAS EXAMINED AND THE CARBURETOR FUEL BOWL WAS FOUND EMPTY OF FUEL. AC 61-21 STATES, IN PART, 'THE CFI SHOULD GIVE SIMULATED FORCED LANDINGS BY RETARDING THE THROTTLE.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER PROCEDURE USED BY THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR IN SIMULATING AN ENGINE FAILURE. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE LACK OF TOTAL FLIGHT INSTRUCTION EXPERIENCE OF THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/9/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1702
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City IRWINDALE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 91706
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 4
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 4
Degrees magnetic from airport 50
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1645 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 230
Weather Observation Facility ID EMT
Elevation of weather observation facility 296
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 4
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) 8
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
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) 73
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 9 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1740
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38269
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:36PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N25884
NTSB Number LAX89LA155
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 15280831
Certified Max Gross Weight 1650
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 2 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 85
Airframe Hours 3636
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BARLETT AVIATION INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4233 SANTA ANITA AVE., BOX 2
Aircraft Owner City EL MONTE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91731
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code EMT
Departure City EL MONTE
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1645
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 10:30AM
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 --