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19971125042742A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Cessna 152 · 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, second aircraft
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N757FT
NTSB investigation
NTSBLAX98FA045
Reported as
Cessna 152
Reported engine
Lycoming O235L2C
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
898 total
N757FTRegistration cancelled Jul 8, 2013 · Cessna 152S/N 15279711 · Built 1977Airframe 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.

757FT was downwind in a closed pattern, collided with 9518H who was attempting a non-standard departure. (.4)the solo student pilot was cleared to takeoff with instructions to follow the Cessna ahead. A third 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

757FT WAS DOWNWIND IN A CLOSED PATTERN, COLLIDED WITH 9518H WHO WAS ATTEMPTING A NON-STANDARD DEPARTURE. (.4)THE SOLO STUDENT PILOT WAS CLEARED TO TAKEOFF WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO FOLLOW THE CESSNA AHEAD. A THIRD 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.

N9518HCessna 172MAccident 19971125042741A · Destroyed · 1 fatal

Other reports on N757FT · 1

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

Incident 19860227016249IDescent · Las Vegas, NVDescended to less than 1000 feet above congested area after being cleared for unrestricted descent.Feb 27, 1986