# NTSB LAX03LA068: Cessna 152, N25562, Salinas, CA, January 16, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: January 16, 2003, 14:00 local (22:00 UTC) - Place: Salinas, CA - Coordinates: 36.670421, -121.609031 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.6704&lon=-121.6090&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 28, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 56351 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX03LA068 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/56351/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=56351 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX03LA068 ## Probable cause The student pilot's inadequate compensation and his failure to maintain directional control. Contributing factors were wet and dirt terrain. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll - compensation for wind conditions - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - weather condition - crosswind - proper alignment - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - ground loop/swerve - not corrected, pilot in command - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - aborted - terrain condition - wet (contributing factor) - terrain condition - dirt bank/rising embankment (contributing factor) - Nose gear collapsed, landing - aborted - Nose over, landing - roll ## Analysis On the landing rollout the airplane encountered a crosswind, veered off the runway, and nosed over. The student stated that he made a normal approach to runway 13, correcting for a small crosswind from the left. On final the airplane was at 65 knots with 30 degrees of flaps extended. The right wheel touched down first followed by the nose wheel. The left wheel had almost made contact with the ground when a crosswind from the left lifted up the left wing, which caused the airplane to veer to the left. The pilot attempted to correct the airplane from turning left by applying right rudder, right brake, and simultaneously turning the ailerons to the left. The airplane continued in the turn, and the pilot noted that as he added aileron the airplane would continue to increase the turn to the left. At that point he decided to abort the landing. He added full power, which caused the turn to increase. The airplane had departed the runway and was headed for a runway sign in a dirt area. He decided to add left rudder to complete the turn to the left to avoid the runway sign. Once the nose wheel contacted the wet dirt, it dug into the ground and broke off. The airplane came to rest inverted. The student pilot stated that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane. ## Factual narrative On January 16, 2003, at 1400 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 152, N25562, veered off runway 13 during an aborted landing and came to rest inverted at the Salinas Municipal Airport (SNS), Salinas, California. Squadron 2 was operating the rental airplane under the provisions of the 14 CFR Part 91. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local area instructional flight, and a visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan had been filed. The flight departed the Mesa Del Rey Airport (KIC), King City, California, at 1330. The flight was scheduled to terminate at the Reid-Hillview Airport of Santa Clara County (RHV), San Jose, California, with a planned stop at SNS. In the student's written report to the National Transportation Safety Board, he stated that he made a regular approach to runway 13 at SNS, correcting for a small crosswind from the left. On final the airplane was at 65 knots with 30 degrees of flaps extended. The right wheel touched down first followed by the nose wheel. The left wheel had almost made contact with the ground when a crosswind from the left lifted up the left wing, which caused the airplane to veer to the left. The pilot attempted to correct the airplane from turning left by applying right rudder, right brake, and simultaneously turning the ailerons to the left. The airplane continued in the turn, and the pilot noted that as he added aileron the airplane would continue to increase the turn to the left. At that point he decided to do a go-around. He added full power, which caused the turn to increase. The airplane had departed the runway and was headed for a runway sign in a dirt area. He decided to add left rudder to complete the turn to the left to avoid the runway sign. Once the nose wheel contacted the wet dirt, it dug into the ground and broke off. The airplane came to rest inverted. The student pilot stated that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N25562](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N25562-2013-08-19), registration cancelled 2013-08-19, S/N 15280731, built 1977 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 152 - Registry model: [Cessna 152](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-152) (registry code 2071835) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-235 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (registry code 41505, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 15280731 - Airframe hours: 10078.7 - Engines: Lycoming O-235-L2C 108 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Squadron 2 - Registered owner: Masavion Ltd - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, September 19, 2002, 31.7 hours before - Departed: KIC, KING CITY, CA - Destination: RHV, SAN JOSE, CA - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: SNS, Salinas Muni, runway 13, 4,825 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 18; injuries: none; student; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 41 total, 40 in this make and model, 9 as pilot in command, 24 in the last 90 days, 12 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 100° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 46 °F - Altimeter: 30.15 inHg - Observed at: SNS ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20030116000589A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030116000589A), Jan 16, 2003: Cessna 152, Salinas, CA, Substantial damage. (-23) On January 16, 2003 at approximately 1300 PST, student pilot nicholas driscoll attempting to execute a cross wind landing on runway 13 at the Salinas… ## Other investigations on N25562 (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 OAK79DVM10](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/OAK79DVM10), Jan 20, 1979: Cessna 152 (N25562), Monterey, CA, substantial damage ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 5, 2004, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=56351. 407 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 376 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40442902&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Record of Conversation-Instructor (item 2, .PDF, 32 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40442903&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation-Instructor%20%20-Redacted.PDF 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.