# Accident 20250320002489A: Rotorsport Uk Ltd CAVALON, Murrieta, CA, March 20, 2025

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 20, 2025, 13:00 local time
- Place: Murrieta, CA
- Airport: French Valley
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.5754° N, 117.1300° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.5754&lon=-117.1300&mi=10
- Aircraft: N157P, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N157P) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Rotorsport UK CAVALON (registry code 7980111, https://openairdocs.org/model/rotorsport-uk-cavalon) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Rotax 915 IS series (registry code 55620, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-915-is-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROTORSPORT UK LTD CAVALON
- Reported engine: ROTAX 915 IS
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Student
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR25LA115](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA115) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250320002489A

## Narrative

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

THE STUDENT WAS ON A SOLO CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT TO COMPLETE HER STUDENT SOLO CROSS COUNTRY REQUIREMENT HOURS. THE CROSS-COUNTRY PLAN WAS KCNO (CHINO) TO F70 TO KAJO (CORONA) AND BACK TO KCNO. WHEN THE PILOT WAS ~7 MILES FROM F70, THE PILOT LISTENED TO F70’S AWOS AND ADJUSTED MY ALTIMETER. THE PILOT ALSO RADIOED FRENCH VALLEY TRAFFIC THEIR LOCATION AND INTENTIONS TO CROSS MIDFIELD. WHEN THE PILOT WAS ~1 MILE, THE PILOT RADIOED THEIR INTENTIONS OF CROSSING MIDFIELD AT 500 FEET ABOVE LIGHT AIRCRAFT PATTERN AND THEN CROSSED MIDFIELD. THE PILOT CROSSED MIDFIELD, ANOTHER AIRCRAFT RADIOED THEIR INTENTIONS OF CROSSING MIDFIELD, AND ASKED TO CLARIFY HER POSITION, WHICH THE PILOT DID. THE PILOT RADIOED HER INTENTIONS OF ENTERING DOWNWIND, AND SHE ENTERED A LEFT DOWNWIND TRAFFIC PATTERN AT ~2350 MSL (LIGHT AIRCRAFT HEIGHT) FOR RUNWAY 18. WHILE ON DOWNWIND, THE PILOT HEARD ON FRENCH VALLEY TRAFFIC SHORT FINAL, SAW AIRCRAFT OFF THEIR SHOULDER, CHECKED THE GARMIN G3X FOR ADDITIONAL AIRCRAFT AND DID NOT SEE ANY. THE PILOT RADIOED THEIR INTENTIONS OF LEFT BASE, MADE LEFT BASE, AND THEN SAW A SECOND AIRCRAFT ON FINAL DIRECTLY AT 90 DEGREES IN FRONT OF THEM. SLOWED HER SPEED, GIVING THE AIRCRAFT ROOM TO LAND, AND TURNED ON FINAL AFTER THE OTHER AIRCRAFT HAD LANDED. SHE SLOWED FURTHER (SLOW VERTICAL DESCENT) TO ALLOW THE OTHER AIRCRAFT TO EXIT RUNWAY OR TO TAKEOFF. THE PILOT PERCEIVED THE AIRCRAFT WAS GOING TO EXIT RUNWAY AT THE FIRST TAXIWAY; HOWEVER, THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT EXIT AND WAITED A FEW MORE SECONDS FOR THE AIRCRAFT TO EXIT. THEN REALIZED SHE WAS TOO LOW AND TOO SLOW. SHE WAS UNABLE TO RECOVER HER AIRSPEED WITH FULL THROTTLE AND TURNED AIRCRAFT TO THE RIGHT TO THE GRASSY AREA JUST NORTH OF THE RUNWAY, AVOIDING THE ROAD (AULD RD) AND TRAFFIC ON THE ROAD. THE PILOT IMPACTED THE GROUND OUTSIDE THE AIRPORT APPROXIMATELY 250 FEET ,012 DEGREES IN LINE WITH RUNWAY 18

## 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 WPR25LA115](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA115), Mar 20, 2025: Rotorsport UK Cavalon (N157P), Murrieta, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed during an approach and subsequent descent into terrain. Contributing to the accident was the student pilot’s failure to perform a go-around…

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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