# Accident 20000424012589A: Cessna 152, Austin, NV, April 24, 2000

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 24, 2000, 18:34 local time
- Place: Austin, NV
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.5395° N, 117.1907° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.5395&lon=-117.1907&mi=10
- Aircraft: N67435, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N67435-2000-11-16) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 152 (registry code 2071835, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-152) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 152
- Reported engine: LYC O235L2C
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Pilot flight hours: 111 total, 93 in this make and model, 111 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX00FA171](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00FA171) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000424012589A

## Narrative

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

(.4) ACCORDING TO DATA RETRIEVED FROM A HANDHELD GPS UNIT, THE PILOT'S HEADED UP A VALLEY WHILE CRUISING AT A LOW ALTITUDE OVER UPSLOPING MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN ALONG THEIR FLIGHT ROUTE. THE AIRPLANE WAS UNABLE TO OUT CLIMB THE RISING TERRAIN AND IMPACTED THE 20-DEGREE UPSLOPING MOUNTAINSIDE NEARLY PERPENDICULAR TO ITS FACE AT AN ELEVATION OF 8,100-FOOT MEAN SEA LEVEL WHILE MANEUVERING THE AIRPLANE DURING AN ATTEMPTED REVERSE COURSE MANEUVER. IN JANUARY 2000, BOTH PILOTS BEGAN PRIMARY FLIGHT TRAINING AT THE SAME TEXAS-BASED FLIGHT SCHOOL. IN MARCH, THEY WERE ISSUED PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATES, AND HAD EACH RECEIVED ABOUT 6 HOURS OF DUAL CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT TRAINING. NEITHER PILOT HAD BEEN TRAINED IN HIGH-DENSITY ALTITUDE OPERATIONS OR MOUNTAIN FLYING. THE AIRPLANE HAD THE PUBLISHED PERFORMANCE CAPABILITY TO OVERFLY THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. HOWEVER, UNDER HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE STANDARD ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS, ITS MAXIMUM RATE OF CLIMB WAS REDUCED TO ABOUT 380 FEET PER MINUTE AT 62 KNOTS INDICATED AIRSPEED (70 KNOTS TRUE AIRSPEED), OR ABOUT 326 FEET PER NAUTICAL MILE (NM). AS EVIDENCE BY THE AIRPLANE'S GROUND TRACK, THE TERRAIN OVER WHICH THE AIRPLANE FLEW WITHIN 3 NM OF THE ACCIDENT SITE INCREASED IN ELEVATION FROM 7,100 TO 8,100 FEET MSL, OR ABOUT 333 FEET PER NM. THE AIRPLANE'S CLIMB RATE ABILITY WAS LESS THAN THE TERRAIN'S SLOPE. NO EVIDENCE OF ANY AIRFRAME OR ENGINE MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION WAS NOTED DURING THE ON-SCENE WRECKAGE EXAMINATION. (-23)NOT CERTAIN IF THIS ACCIDENT  ON THE EVENING OF 04/24/00 OR DURING THE DAY OF 04/25/00.  ELT WAS OBSERVED ON 04/25/00 BUT LAST KNOW DEPARTURE WAS WINNEMUCCA, NV AT1640 HOURS LOCAL ON 04/24/00.  N67435, WITH FEDERICO DIPUCCIO, CERTIFICATE NUMBER 2614082, IN THE LEFT SEAT WAS FLYING UP A MOUNTAIN CANYON.  IT APPEARS THAT THE TERRAIN, COUPLED WITH DENSITY ALTITUDE, WAS OUT CLIMBING THE LOADED CESSNA 152.  IN AN ATTEMPT TO TURN AROUND, IN THE NARROW CANYON, THE PILOT STALLED AND IMPACTED THE GROUND AT 8100 FT ELEVATION.

## 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 LAX00FA171](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00FA171), Apr 25, 2000: Cessna 152 (N67435), Austin, NV, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's decision to attempt flight in an area of high rising mountainous terrain at an inadequate altitude, which resulted in an impact during a turn to reverse direction. A contributing factor…

## Other reports on N67435 (1)

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

- [Accident 19810622035399A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19810622035399A), Jun 22, 1981: Cessna 152 (N67435), Medford, WI, Substantial damage. Hydroplaned on runway wet from passing heavy rain. Veered off runway into a ditch. Poor student weather supervision

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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