# Accident 19961117035939A: Cessna 152, Gilroy, CA, November 17, 1996

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 17, 1996, 15:45 local time
- Place: Gilroy, CA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.0607° N, 121.5490° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.0607&lon=-121.5490&mi=10
- Aircraft: N48737, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N48737-2014-12-17) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 152 (registry code 2071835, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-152) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-235 series (registry code 41505, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 152
- Reported engine: LYC O235L2C
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 571 total, 14 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX97FA044](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX97FA044) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19961117035939A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.4)NO RECORD WAS FOUND OF THE PILOT OBTAINING A PREFLIGHT OR IN-FLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING. AN AIRMET VALID DURING THE PERIOD OF THE FLIGHT FORECASTED MOUNTAIN OBSCURATION AND IFR CONDITIONS IN THE ACCIDENT AREA. THE INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT FLEW A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN IN MARGINAL WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A COASTAL MOUNTAIN RIDGE AT THE 1,940 FOOT LEVEL; THE COASTAL MOUNTAIN RANGE WAS THE LAST TERRAIN FEATURE BEFORE THE PILOT'S DESTINATION. REVIEW OF THE PILOT'S LOGBOOK REVEALED HE LACKED THE RECENCY OF EXPERIENCE TO FLY IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC) UNDER INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES (IFR). THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS OBSCURED BY LOW CEILINGS DURING THE ACCIDENT TIME AND SUBSEQUENTLY IMPEDED SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATIONS. TOXICOLOGY TESTS OF THE PILOT'S BLOOD AND URINE DETECTED THEOPHYLLINE (A DRUG COMMONLY USED TO TREAT ASTHMA) AT LEVELS OF 2.2 MCG/ML AND 22.5 MCG/ML, RESPECTIVELY. ALSO, UNDETERMINED LEVELS OF EPHEDRINE AND PHENYLOPROPANOLAMINE (OVER-TH-COUNTER DECONGESTANTS) WERE DETECTED IN HIS BLOOD AND URINE, AND AN UNDETERMINED LEVEL OF HYDROCHLOROTHIAZIDE (A DRUG COMMONLY USED TO TREAT HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE) WAS DETECTED IN HIS BLOOD.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX97FA044](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX97FA044), Nov 17, 1996: Cessna 152 (N48737), Gilroy, CA, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: flight by the pilot into into adverse weather conditions, and his failure to maintain altitude or clearance from mountainous terrain. The adverse weather and terrain conditions were related factors.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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