# Accident 20030218002739A: Cessna 172P, Santa Susana, CA, February 18, 2003

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 18, 2003, 13:40 local time
- Place: Santa Susana, CA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Climb
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.3347° N, 118.6017° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.3347&lon=-118.6017&mi=10
- Aircraft: N65005, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N65005-2006-02-01) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172P (registry code 2072436, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172p) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172P
- Reported engine: LYC O320D2J
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 400 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX03FA090](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX03FA090) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030218002739A

## Narrative

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

(.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.

## 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 LAX03FA090](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX03FA090), Feb 18, 2003: Cessna 172P (N65005), Santa Susana, CA, destroyed. Probable cause: The flight instructor's inadequate in-flight decision to cross mountainous terrain at a inadequate altitude to guarantee terrain clearance.

## Other reports on N65005 (1)

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

- [Incident 20000801025059I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000801025059I), Aug 1, 2000: Cessna 172P (N65005), Santa Maria, CA. (-23) Received notification fro hawthorne afss of incident regarding N65005, CE-172-P, a/c departed rwy 30 requested left downwind. Departed shortly after…

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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