Danbury Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Danbury, Connecticut 06810
Monday, August 5, 2002 19:45 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The student pilot was in the traffic pattern practicing touch and go landings, when the flight instructor reduced the engine power to idle to simulate an engine failure. While the student pilot was maneuvering, the airplane "stalled to the left." The CFI assumed control of the airplane; however, the airplane struck trees about 1/2 mile from the runway. The CFI added that he did not hear the airplane's stall warning horn annunciate at any time during the accident sequence. Examination of the airplane did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions. The airplane's stall warning system functioned normally during post accident testing. The terrain at the accident site sloped upward.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The student pilot's failure to maintain airspeed and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action, which resulted in an inadvertent stall during a simulated forced landing. A factor was the rising terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/5/2002
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1945
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Danbury
Event State CONNECTICUT
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 06810
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 412217N
Event Location Longitude 0732855W
Event Location Airport DANBURY MUNI
Event Location Nearest Airport ID DXR
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0.5
Degrees magnetic from airport 260
Airport Elevation 458
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1953 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 80
Weather Observation Facility ID DXR
Elevation of weather observation facility 458
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
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) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.85
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 13011
NTSB Notification Source NEROC
NTSB Notification Date Aug 6 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1045
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Apr 17 2003 10:27AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Windsor Locks

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N89044
NTSB Number NYC02LA154
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 152
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 15282608
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 Jul 17 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 37
Airframe Hours 7261
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name North American Aviation Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 49 Miry Brook Rd.
Aircraft Owner City Danbury
Aircraft Owner State CT
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 06810
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code DXR
Departure City Danbury
Departure State CT
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1945
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code DXR
Destination City Danbury
Destination State CT
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering - turn to landing area (emergency)
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jan 21 2003 11:54AM
User who most recently changed record PEAR
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 26
Runway Length 4422
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --