What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On February 18, 2003, about 1345 pacific standard time, a Cessna 172P, N65005, impacted rising terrain while maneuvering in the mountains near Santa Susana, California. The aero club, based in van nuys, California, operated the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91. The airplane was destroyed. The certified flight instructor (CFI) and student pilot sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The instructional flight departed camarillo, California, about 1335. The student pilot indicated to the national transportation safety board investigator that the accident occurred while they were attempting to climb over a mountain ridge. The CFI maneuvered the airplane to the right and then to the left (or vise versa), and thereafter the airplane collided with the mountainside. The on-scene investigation revealed that the airplane impacted 40-degree upsloping terrain in a box-like canyon. The crash site was about 3,400 feet mean sea level, approximately 50 feet below the ridgeline. The entire airplane was recovered from the accident site. Several airframe and engine components have been retained for additional examination. (-23) this aircraft departed camarillo airport California approx 13:15 PST in route to van nuys airport California. The aircraft was flying in a mountainous area along their route. The student pilot indicated to the federal aviation adminstration investigator that @ 3,000 ft AGL the flight instructor took over control of the aircraft and made a left turn. As they were flying along the flight instructor asked the student pilot on 2 occasions if he was comfortable with the way she was flying, his response was ok. The flight instructor indicated to the federal aviation administration investigator, that she knows the mountains, and the Cessna 172 very well and put the aircraft into a climb because of the distance to the mountains. Instead of climbing we got into a downdraft, I found the lowest point, and we contacted the mountain.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON FEBRUARY 18, 2003, ABOUT 1345 PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA 172P, N65005, IMPACTED RISING TERRAIN WHILE MANEUVERING IN THE MOUNTAINS NEAR SANTA SUSANA, CALIFORNIA. THE AERO CLUB, BASED IN VAN NUYS, CALIFORNIA, OPERATED THE AIRPLANE UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED. THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI) AND STUDENT PILOT SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT DEPARTED CAMARILLO, CALIFORNIA, ABOUT 1335. THE STUDENT PILOT INDICATED TO THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD INVESTIGATOR THAT THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE THEY WERE ATTEMPTING TO CLIMB OVER A MOUNTAIN RIDGE. THE CFI MANEUVERED THE AIRPLANE TO THE RIGHT AND THEN TO THE LEFT (OR VISE VERSA), AND THEREAFTER THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE MOUNTAINSIDE. THE ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED 40-DEGREE UPSLOPING TERRAIN IN A BOX-LIKE CANYON. THE CRASH SITE WAS ABOUT 3,400 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL, APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET BELOW THE RIDGELINE. THE ENTIRE AIRPLANE WAS RECOVERED FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE. SEVERAL AIRFRAME AND ENGINE COMPONENTS HAVE BEEN RETAINED FOR ADDITIONAL EXAMINATION. (-23) THIS AIRCRAFT DEPARTED CAMARILLO AIRPORT CALIFORNIA APPROX 13:15 PST IN ROUTE TO VAN NUYS AIRPORT CALIFORNIA. THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLYING IN A MOUNTAINOUS AREA ALONG THEIR ROUTE. THE STUDENT PILOT INDICATED TO THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINSTRATION INVESTIGATOR THAT @ 3,000 FT AGL THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR TOOK OVER CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND MADE A LEFT TURN. AS THEY WERE FLYING ALONG THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR ASKED THE STUDENT PILOT ON 2 OCCASIONS IF HE WAS COMFORTABLE WITH THE WAY SHE WAS FLYING, HIS RESPONSE WAS OK. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR INDICATED TO THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION INVESTIGATOR, THAT SHE KNOWS THE MOUNTAINS, AND THE CESSNA 172 VERY WELL AND PUT THE AIRCRAFT INTO A CLIMB BECAUSE OF THE DISTANCE TO THE MOUNTAINS. INSTEAD OF CLIMBING WE GOT INTO A DOWNDRAFT, I FOUND THE LOWEST POINT, AND WE CONTACTED THE MOUNTAIN.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N65005 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.