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19971125042741A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Cessna 172M · El Cajon, CA · November 25, 1997

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
November 25, 1997 · 11:32 local
Place
El Cajon, CA
Airport
Gillespie Field Airport
Phase of flight
In Traffic Pattern-Circling
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Collision
Midair collision, first aircraft
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N9518H
NTSB investigation
NTSBLAX98FA045
Reported as
Cessna 172M
Reported engine
Lycoming O320E2D
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
1
Pilot’s flight hours
12 total12 in this make and model12 in the last 90 days
N9518HRegistration cancelled Apr 19, 1999 · Cessna 172MS/N 17266195Airframe modelCessna 172M

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.

9518H, while making a non-standard departure, collided with 757FT that was downwind in pattern. (.4)the solo student pilot was cleared to takeoff with instructions to follow the Cessna ahead. A thrid aircraft was also in the traffic pattern at the time. After takeoff, the controller looked away to check on other traffic but when he looked back, neither aircraft was visible. He made several unsuccessful calls to both the pilots. The dual student reported that he had turned crosswind as he came abeam of his traffic. When he reached pattern altitude, he began his downwind turn. He was trimming the aircraft when he saw the solo student approaching his position. He banked hard to avoid the aircraft, but felt an impact. Witnesses reported that both aircraft were on a converging flight path. The student pilot was making his second solo flight but had not advised the controller. The controller did not specify that he was number 3 in the pattern. Haze was reported in all quadrants. The brite in the tower cab is not capable of monitoring traffic on the south side of the airport due to terrain height.

As the FAA filed it

9518H, WHILE MAKING A NON-STANDARD DEPARTURE, COLLIDED WITH 757FT THAT WAS DOWNWIND IN PATTERN. (.4)THE SOLO STUDENT PILOT WAS CLEARED TO TAKEOFF WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO FOLLOW THE CESSNA AHEAD. A THRID AIRCRAFT WAS ALSO IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN AT THE TIME. AFTER TAKEOFF, THE CONTROLLER LOOKED AWAY TO CHECK ON OTHER TRAFFIC BUT WHEN HE LOOKED BACK, NEITHER AIRCRAFT WAS VISIBLE. HE MADE SEVERAL UNSUCCESSFUL CALLS TO BOTH THE PILOTS. THE DUAL STUDENT REPORTED THAT HE HAD TURNED CROSSWIND AS HE CAME ABEAM OF HIS TRAFFIC. WHEN HE REACHED PATTERN ALTITUDE, HE BEGAN HIS DOWNWIND TURN. HE WAS TRIMMING THE AIRCRAFT WHEN HE SAW THE SOLO STUDENT APPROACHING HIS POSITION. HE BANKED HARD TO AVOID THE AIRCRAFT, BUT FELT AN IMPACT. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT BOTH AIRCRAFT WERE ON A CONVERGING FLIGHT PATH. THE STUDENT PILOT WAS MAKING HIS SECOND SOLO FLIGHT BUT HAD NOT ADVISED THE CONTROLLER. THE CONTROLLER DID NOT SPECIFY THAT HE WAS NUMBER 3 IN THE PATTERN. HAZE WAS REPORTED IN ALL QUADRANTS. THE BRITE IN THE TOWER CAB IS NOT CAPABLE OF MONITORING TRAFFIC ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE AIRPORT DUE TO TERRAIN HEIGHT.

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 LAX98FA045Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportEl Cajon, CAThe solo student's failure to see and follow the other aircraft on the downwind as he had been instructed. Factors influencing this accident was the failure of the pilots in the other aircraft to see and avoid the aircraft encroaching on his flight path; the…Nov 25, 1997 · 2 aircraft · Destroyed

Other aircraft in the event · 1

Each aircraft in a collision has its own report.

N757FTCessna 152Accident 19971125042742A · Destroyed

Other reports on N9518H · 3

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19840602022019ALevel Off Touchdown · San Fernando, CAPilot made hard landing and bounced causing nose wheel to collapse.Jun 2, 1984 · Substantial damageIncident 19781211024749IOps On Grnd From Ldg/Rtrcrft · Buckeye, AZPilot landed at an unfamiliar airport for fuel. Exited the taxiway into a drainage ditch.Dec 11, 1978 · Minor damageAccident 19760415008159AGround Taxi, Other Airplane · Oxnard, CAWea brief by ctl twr. Gusting to 50K.Apr 15, 1976 · Reported as Cessna 172D · Substantial damage