20030506012619A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Cessna 152 · Pala Town, CA · May 6, 2003

Date: May 6, 2003 · 12:00 local
Place: Pala Town, CA
Phase of flight: Practice Training Manuevers
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N48796
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX03LA148
Reported as: Cessna 152
Reported engine: Lycoming O235L2C
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 4,500 total2,000 in this make and model200 in the last 90 days

N48796Registration cancelled Sep 27, 2005 · Cessna 152S/N 15283377 · Built 1979 Airframe modelCessna 152 Engine 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.

(-23) On Tuesday, may 6, 2003, at approximately 12:00 pm, a Cessna 152 aircraft crashed in the area of Pala Town, CA. There were two occupants in the aircraft at the time and both sustained minor injuries. The flight was an instructional flight involving commercial pilot maneuvers. After a simulated engine failure, the aircraft was unable to maintain efficient climb and crashed into a thickly wooded area in a steep canyon area. The aircraft struck a large oak tree, spun around and came to rest at a nose down attitude. The pilot-in-command was an experienced flight instructor and his student was a private pilot, who was being trained for a commercial pilot certificate, and who was also current and rated in this type of aircraft.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON TUESDAY, MAY 6, 2003, AT APPROXIMATELY 12:00 PM, A CESSNA 152 AIRCRAFT CRASHED IN THE AREA OF PALA TOWN, CA. THERE WERE TWO OCCUPANTS IN THE AIRCRAFT AT THE TIME AND BOTH SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE FLIGHT WAS AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT INVOLVING COMMERCIAL PILOT MANEUVERS. AFTER A SIMULATED ENGINE FAILURE, THE AIRCRAFT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN EFFICIENT CLIMB AND CRASHED INTO A THICKLY WOODED AREA IN A STEEP CANYON AREA. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A LARGE OAK TREE, SPUN AROUND AND CAME TO REST AT A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND WAS AN EXPERIENCED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND HIS STUDENT WAS A PRIVATE PILOT, WHO WAS BEING TRAINED FOR A COMMERCIAL PILOT CERTIFICATE, AND WHO WAS ALSO CURRENT AND RATED IN THIS TYPE OF AIRCRAFT.

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 LAX03LA148Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportPala, CAthe dual student's delay in executing the proper recovery procedures and improper retraction of the flaps, the CFI's inadequate supervision during the recovery to normal flight, the CFI's delayed remedial action, and the failure of both pilots to maintain an…May 6, 2003 · Substantial damage