- Date
- August 21, 2012, 15:10 local (19:10 UTC)
- Place
- Deland, FL
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N49054Cessna 152
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern final: Windshear or thunderstorm
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 5, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA Orlando FSDO
- FAA report
- 20120821016919A
- Case key
- 84756
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control on final approach in gusting wind conditions. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to operate in an environment of thunderstorms and rapidly deteriorating weather.
Findings · 5
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot stated that she checked the weather before departing on a maintenance flight in the airport traffic pattern; some thunderstorms were located to the northwest. She departed and climbed to 1,000 feet above ground level, set the engine at cruise power, and completed the traffic pattern. As she entered the pattern a second time, she noticed that the storms were moving toward the airport. As the airplane turned onto the final approach, the wind increased, the airplane encountered strong turbulence, and her approach became unstable. She then initiated a go-around; however, the airplane impacted the runway and came to rest inverted off of the left side. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane. Examination of the wreckage revealed structural damage to the airframe. Review of weather data revealed that a wind shift associated with nearby thunderstorms occurred immediately prior to the accident. The recorded wind speed about the time of the accident was 25 knots, gusting to 34 knots.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated she checked weather before departing on a maintenance flight in the airport traffic pattern. Some weather was located to the northwest. She departed and climbed to 1,000 feet above ground level, set the engine at cruise power, and completed the first traffic pattern. She started the second pattern and noticed the weather was moving towards the airport. As the airplane turned on to final approach, the winds increased, the airplane encountered strong turbulence, and her approach became unstable. She initiated a go-around; however, the airplane impacted the runway and came to rest inverted off the left side. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operations. Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed structural damage to the airframe. Review of weather data revealed a wind shift occurred immediately prior to the accident, which was associated with nearby thunderstorms. The recorded wind speed about the time of the accident was 25 knots, gusting to 34 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N49054
- Reported as
- Cessna 152
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15281125
- Airframe hours
- 13,713
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235 L2C, 110 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Operator
- Cloud Dancer Aviation
- Registered owner
- Alber David Lee Jr
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · June 16, 2012 · 2 hours before
- Departed
- DED · Deland, FL
- Destination
- DED · Deland, FL
- Airport
- DED · Deland Municipal, runway 23, 4,301 × 75 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 27
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 28, 2012
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 411 total · 95 in this make and model · 240 as pilot in command · 15 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 25 knots, gusting 34
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 91 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.02 inHg
- Observed at
- DED
Docket · 9
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 7, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.7 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N49054 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.