Compton Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Compton, California 90220
Thursday, June 6, 1985 18:08 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A DUAL INSTRUCTIONAL FLT, IN PREPARATION FOR THE STUDENT'S PRIVATE PLT FLT EXAM, THE INSTRUCTOR PLT FAILED TO CONFIRM THAT ADEQUTE FUEL WAS ON BOARD. DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE FUEL GAUGES WERE INDICATING NEARLY EMPTY, THE INSTRUCTOR PLT PERMITTED HER STUDENT TO FLY AROUND THE PATTERN. ON THE FOURTH APCH THE ACFT EXHAUSTED ITS USABLE FUEL. THE INSTRUCTOR PLT ATTEMPTED TO GLIDE TO THE ARPT, BUT CRASHED INTO A TREE 500 FT SHORT OF THE RWY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/6/1985
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1808
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City COMPTON
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 90220
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport COMPTON
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CPM
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 70
Airport Elevation 97
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 Dawn
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
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) 1950
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 6 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1845
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 29347
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4874H
NTSB Number LAX85LA267
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 15283994
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 1 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 3582
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PATRICK W. MURPHY
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CONSOLIDATED AIRCRAFT
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 961 W. ALONDRA BLVD.
Operator City COMPTON
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 90220
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 CPM
Departure City COMPTON
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1705
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 Descent
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 25L
Runway Length 3670
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --