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19971011030679A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Cessna 152 · Julian, CA · October 11, 1997

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
October 11, 1997 · 08:14 local
Place
Julian, CA
Phase of flight
Scud Running
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N67293
NTSB investigation
NTSBLAX98FA006
Reported as
Cessna 152
Reported engine
Lycoming O235L2C
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
1
Pilot’s flight hours
275 total
N67293Registration cancelled Jul 14, 2017 · Cessna 152S/N 15281729 · Built 1978Airframe modelCessna 152Engine modelLycoming 0-235 series4 cycle

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Indicates weather induced spatial disorientation crash. (.4)the noninstrument rated pilot departed on a cross-country flight to Nevada following his receipt of a weather briefing that indicated multiple layers of clouds, and moderate to severe turbulence along the route in an unstable air mass. While climbing en route the pilot requested and received radar flight following service. About 15 minutes after takeoff, the pilot informed the radar controller that he was making a 180-degree turn. Radar data indicates that seconds following the pilot's transmission, the airplane commenced a rapid descent. During the final 60 seconds of recorded flight, the airplane descended from 7,200 to 4,500 feet. The airplane impacted a 3,400-foot MSL hillside. Wreckage was found scattered over a 150-foot-long path, about 0.11 mile from its last radar position. Airborne and ground-based witnesses near the area reported the presence of an overcast sky condition with cloud basses near ground level and tops over 13,000 feet. The precipitation intensity vared between sprinkles to heavy rain showers.

As the FAA filed it

INDICATES WEATHER INDUCED SPATIAL DISORIENTATION CRASH. (.4)THE NONINSTRUMENT RATED PILOT DEPARTED ON A CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT TO NEVADA FOLLOWING HIS RECEIPT OF A WEATHER BRIEFING THAT INDICATED MULTIPLE LAYERS OF CLOUDS, AND MODERATE TO SEVERE TURBULENCE ALONG THE ROUTE IN AN UNSTABLE AIR MASS. WHILE CLIMBING EN ROUTE THE PILOT REQUESTED AND RECEIVED RADAR FLIGHT FOLLOWING SERVICE. ABOUT 15 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PILOT INFORMED THE RADAR CONTROLLER THAT HE WAS MAKING A 180-DEGREE TURN. RADAR DATA INDICATES THAT SECONDS FOLLOWING THE PILOT'S TRANSMISSION, THE AIRPLANE COMMENCED A RAPID DESCENT. DURING THE FINAL 60 SECONDS OF RECORDED FLIGHT, THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED FROM 7,200 TO 4,500 FEET. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED A 3,400-FOOT MSL HILLSIDE. WRECKAGE WAS FOUND SCATTERED OVER A 150-FOOT-LONG PATH, ABOUT 0.11 MILE FROM ITS LAST RADAR POSITION. AIRBORNE AND GROUND-BASED WITNESSES NEAR THE AREA REPORTED THE PRESENCE OF AN OVERCAST SKY CONDITION WITH CLOUD BASSES NEAR GROUND LEVEL AND TOPS OVER 13,000 FEET. THE PRECIPITATION INTENSITY VARED BETWEEN SPRINKLES TO HEAVY RAIN SHOWERS.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB LAX98FA006Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportJulian, CAThe pilot's inadequate in-flight planning which resulted in VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions and the loss of aircraft control. Contributing was the pilot's overconfidence in his ability, clouds, and rain.Oct 11, 1997 · Destroyed