Gillespie Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

El Cajon, California 92020
Thursday, June 26, 2008 16:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During a dual instructional flight, while over a reservoir, the certified flight instructor (CFI) simulated an engine failure by retarding the throttle. After about 1 minute of procedures at idle, the CFI applied power, but the engine did not respond. The CFI performed a forced landing to a field on a ranch. During landing, the left wing tip struck the ground, and the left wing sustained structural damage. The engine operated normally during a post accident test run. The temperature and dew point at the nearest reporting point about 6 nautical miles from the accident site near the time of the accident were recorded as 75 degrees Fahrenheit and 55 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively. Plotting these values on a carburetor icing probability chart indicated that the airplane was operating in the range for serious icing at glide power. According to the operator, the CFI did not apply carburetor heat prior to retarding the throttle during the simulated engine failure.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The loss of engine power due to carburetor ice resulting from the flight instructor's failure to use the carburetor heat when simulating an engine failure. Contributing to the accident were the carburetor icing weather condition and the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/26/2008
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1630
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 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 325700N
Event Location Longitude 1165800W
Event Location Airport Gillespie Field Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KSEE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 6
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 388
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1647 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID SEE
Elevation of weather observation facility 388
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 6
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
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) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.89
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 24079
NTSB Notification Source FAA ROC
NTSB Notification Date Jun 26 2008 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Aug 28 2008 3:01PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office San Diego, CA

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6360D
NTSB Number LAX08LA206
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 172N
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17272746
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Fly CFA LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2065 N Marshall Ave
Aircraft Owner City El Cajon
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92020
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name California Flight Academy
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City El Cajon
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
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 SEE
Departure City El Cajon
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1530
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 Emergency landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 8 2008 5:35PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --