Long Beach Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Long Beach, California 90806
Monday, April 2, 2001 18:49 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The student pilot landed hard, veered to the right of the runway, and stuck a taxiway sign with the lower portion of the left wing strut. The pilot, on his fifth solo flight, had been approved by his flight instructor to practice landing-pattern work. Winds at the time of the accident were from 160 degrees at 9 knots.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The student pilot's inadequate compensation for the exisiting crosswind and his improper landing flare that resulted in a hard landing, and loss of directional control during the landing roll.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/2/2001
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1849
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Long Beach
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 90806
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 334903N
Event Location Longitude 1180905W
Event Location Airport Long Beach
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LGB
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 58
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1856 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID LGB
Elevation of weather observation facility 58
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.85
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 11752
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Apr 2 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1910
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jun 3 2002 12:16PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office WP-LGB-FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N669SP
NTSB Number LAX01LA137
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 172S
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 172S8622
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 4
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 Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Surface to Air
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3333 E. Spring St. Suite 131
Aircraft Owner City Long Beach
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 90806
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code LGB
Departure City Long Beach
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1840
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code LGB
Destination City Long Beach
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Mar 18 2002 1:18PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 25L
Runway Length 5420
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --