# Accident 20000420005179A: Cessna 152, Fresno, CA, April 20, 2000 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: April 20, 2000, 20:00 local time - Place: Fresno, CA - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 36.7994° N, 119.8698° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.7994&lon=-119.8698&mi=10 - Aircraft: N152SC, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N152SC-2008-02-26) (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: 0 - Pilot certificates: Student - Pilot flight hours: 28 total, 26 in this make and model, 24 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX00LA165](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00LA165) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000420005179A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23) SEUNGHEE BACK, A SOLO STUDENT PILOT, DEPATED THE HAYWARD EXECUTIVE (HWD) AIRPORT 16:45 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME (PDT) FOR THE MT. DIABLO PRACTICE SREA, SOME SIXTEEN NAUTICAL MILES NORTHEAST OF HWD. AT MR. DIABLO HE WAS ENGAGED IN PRACTICE AIR WORK. AFTER COMPLETING HIS PRACTICE AIR WORK HE BECAME LOST BY FOLLOWING THE WRONG FREEWAY WHILE ATTEMPTING TO RETURN TO THE HWD AIRPORT. MR. BACK THEN CONTINUED TO FLY, LOST, TRAVELING CROSS COUNTRY FOR WHICH HE HAD VERY LITTLE TRAINING, UNTIL HIS AIRCRAFT ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING DUE TO FUEL STARVATION APPROXIMATELY 120 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTHEAST OF THE MT. DIABLE PRACTICE AREA. HE ATTEMPTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN NORTHWEST FRESNO CITY, JUST NORTH OF THE INTERSECTION OF BARSTOW AVE. AND HIGHTWAY 99, ON THE PROPERTY OF PROMAC FABRICATION & EQUIPMENT, INC., AT APPROXIMATELY 20:00 HOURS PDT. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED WITH A FLAT BED TRUCK TRAILER FOLLOWED BY IMPACT WITH THE SURROUNDING ASPHALT. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED BUT THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. (.4) ON APRIL 20, 2000, ABOUT 2000 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 152, N152SC, OPERATED BY FLYING VIKING, INC., HAYWARD, CALIFORNIA, EXPERIENCE D A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WHILE CRUISING OVER FRESNO, CALIFORNIA. THE STUDENT PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A PARKING LOT AND COLLIDED WITH A TRAILER. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED, AND THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE SOLO INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT, WHICH WAS PERFORMED UNDER 14 CFR 91, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED ABOUT 1645 FROM HAYWARD, CALIFORNIA. THE PILOT INDICATED TO THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD INVESTIGATOR THAT HE DEPARTED FROM HAYWARD DURING THE DAYLIGHT AND ONLY POSSESSED A "SAN FRANCISCO VFR TERMINAL AREA CHART." THE PILOT WAS AUTHORIZED TO ONLY FLY WITHIN A 25-MILE RADIUS OF HAYWARD. MINUTES AFTER TAKING OFF, THE PILOT BECAME DISORIENTED AND CONFUSED REGARDING HIS LOCATION AND DIRECTION OF FLIGHT. THE PILOT FURTHER INDICATED THAT HE WAS EVIDENTLY LOST, AND HE FLEW ABOUT 117 MILES EAST UNTIL HIS FUEL WAS TOTALLY EXHAUSTED. DURING THE FLIGHT HE WAS UNABLE TO RAISE ANYONE ON THE AIRCRAFT'S RADIO. THE PILOT'S CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR REPORTED TO THE SAFETY BOARD INVESTIGATOR THAT HE HAD AUTHORIZED HIS STUDENT TO PERFORM A LOCAL AREA FLIGHT AROUND HAYWARD. THE STUDENT'S TOTAL FLYING EXPERIENCE WAS ABOUT 28 HOURS, OF WHICH 4 HOURS WERE AS PILOT-IN-COMMAND. THE STUDENT WAS SUPPOSED TO LAND AFTER PRACTICING FOR ABOUT 1 HOUR. UPON DEPARTURE FOR THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT, THE AIRPLANE HAD ABOUT 18 GALLONS OF FUEL IN ITS TANKS. THE INSTRUCTOR SAID THE STUDENT CONFUSED EAST FOR WEST AND FOLLOWED A ROADWAY UNTIL ARRIVING OVER THE CITY OF FRESNO WITH EMPTY FUEL TANKS. ## 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 LAX00LA165](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00LA165), Apr 21, 2000: Cessna 152 (N152SC), Fresno, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: Fuel exhaustion during cruise flight due to the student pilot becoming disoriented and lost. ## Other reports on N152SC (2) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 19881226068879I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19881226068879I), Dec 26, 1988: Cessna 152 (N152SC), Palo Alto, CA. Rough engine losing power. Unable to correct. Forced landing on highway. Rocker arms may have seized. - [Accident 19870807046071A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19870807046071A), Aug 7, 1987: Cessna 152 (N152SC), Palo Alto, CA, Minor damage. Nose gear struck the rudder of Mooney N5201Y during descent and in contact with ATC radar. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.