Gillespie Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

El Cajon, California 92020
Tuesady, April 1, 2008 15:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The student was on a solo flight to practice touch-and-go landings. He said he made six successful landings, but noticed that the winds were increasing. On the seventh approach, the winds were variable and started to gust. The student said that he maintained 55 knots as he came over the approach end of the runway. The airplane suddenly drifted to the left side of the runway. He used ailerons, and corrected to the centerline. The airplane touched down hard, and bounced. After the airplane came to rest, he saw smoke and fire, and evacuated from the airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the student pilot's inadequate compensation for gusty, crosswind conditions, and failure to maintain an adequate airspeed.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/1/2008
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1500
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City El Cajon
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92020
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 324934N
Event Location Longitude 1165821W
Event Location Airport Gillespie Field
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KSEE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1549 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID KSEE
Elevation of weather observation facility 388
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 12000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.04
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) 23531
NTSB Notification Source FAA COMM CENTER
NTSB Notification Date Apr 1 2008 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Apr 30 2008 1:28PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office San Diego FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N64938
NTSB Number LAX08CA090
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 152
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 15281486
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 Mar 1 2008 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Fly CFA LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City El Cajon
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92020
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 CLWS
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 SEE
Departure City El Cajkon
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code SEE
Destination City El Cajkon
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 21 2008 5:15PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 27L
Runway Length 2738
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --