# NTSB LAX05LA010: Cessna 152, N5272H, Pacoima, CA, October 17, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 17, 2004, 12:45 local (19:45 UTC) - Place: Pacoima, CA - Coordinates: 34.265556, -118.400001 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.2656&lon=-118.4000&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 30, 2006 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration Van Nuys FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 60366 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX05LA010 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/60366/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX05LA010 ## Probable cause the pilot's misjudged distance/altitude and inadequate flare that resulted in a hard landing, and a porpoise down the runway. Also causal was the student pilot's improper bounced landing recovery technique. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - distance/altitude - misjudged, pilot in command (cause) - flare - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - porpoise/pilot-induced oscillation - encountered, pilot in command - recovery from bounced landing - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - In flight collision with object, landing - aborted - object - tree(s) - object - utility pole - aborted landing - attempted - object - wire,transmission - raising of flaps - premature, pilot in command (cause) - improper use of procedure, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis The airplane impacted trees and a pole during an attempted aborted landing following a hard touchdown. The student pilot said he had to extend his downwind and as a result, the approach was high. The airplane landed hard, bounced, and started to porpoise down the runway. The pilot advanced the throttle and raised all of the flaps at once to abort the landing. Once the airplane became airborne it failed to climb above obstacles at the end of the runway and struck trees, a power pole, and power lines. The airplane impacted the ground in a nose down attitude. The student pilot stated that there were no mechanical anomalies noted with the airplane. ## Factual narrative On October 17, 2004, at 1245 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 152, N5272H, collided with trees and a power pole after executing an aborted landing at Whiteman Airport (WHP), Pacoima, California. Sun Quest, Inc., operated the airplane as an instructional flight under the provisions of 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 no flight plan had been filed. The flight departed Whiteman about 1200. The National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge interviewed the student pilot. The student pilot stated that the purpose of the flight was to conduct touch-and-go takeoffs and landings. The first time around the pattern, instead of conducting a touch-and-go landing, he came to a full stop to fix a loose screw on the cowling. He tightened the screw, got back into the airplane, and continued with the flight. On the second time around, he had to extend the downwind leg for traffic. The approach was too high, and the airplane landed hard and bounced. The control yoke was pulled from his grasp into a forward position, which surprised him. The airplane bounced again, and he lost control of the airplane. He executed an aborted landing. The student pilot stated that the airplane was not climbing out, and was not in straight-and-level configuration; the left wing was low. He saw the trees prior to hitting them. The left wing then hit power lines and a power pole. The airplane pivoted around the power pole and the airplane came to rest inverted in an open field. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical anomalies noted with the airplane. In the student pilot's written statement to the Safety Board, during the aborted landing he advanced the throttle for full power. He also raised all of the flaps rather than partially raising them. The airplane started to climb, but was unable to clear the trees. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5272H](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5272H-2007-02-13), registration cancelled 2007-02-13, S/N 15284077, built 1979 (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: 152-84077 - Airframe hours: 10528 - Engines: Lycoming O-235-L2C 110 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Sun Quest Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility - Last inspection: Annual, August 1, 2004, 40 hours before - Departed: WHP, Pacoima, CA - Destination: WHP, Pacoima, CA - Airport: WHP, Whiteman Airport, runway 12, 4,120 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 55; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 106 total, 25 in this make and model, 4 as pilot in command, 25 in the last 90 days, 9 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 190° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 5,400 ft broken - Temperature: 66 °F, dew point 52 °F - Altimeter: 29.88 inHg - Observed at: VNY, 5 nm away ## 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 20041017025749A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20041017025749A), Oct 17, 2004: Cessna 152, Los Angeles, CA, Substantial damage. (-23) Mr. Kane was practicing take-offs and landings. On the second landing, he had an extended downwind and realized that he was too high, but still tried to… 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.