# NTSB LAX06CA143: Cessna 152, N757GF, Merced, CA, April 20, 2006 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: April 19, 2006, 18:20 local (Apr 20, 2006, 01:20 UTC) - Place: Merced, CA - Coordinates: 37.296665, -120.513885 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.2967&lon=-120.5139&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 29, 2006 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 63556 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX06CA143 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/63556/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX06CA143 ## Probable cause the failure of the student and certified flight instructor to maintain directional control and obtain/maintain an adequate airspeed during the attempted go-around. The flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the flight was also causal. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, go-around (vfr) - recovery from bounced landing - improper, dual student - go-around - attempted, dual student - directional control - not maintained, flightcrew (cause) - airspeed - not obtained/maintained, flightcrew (cause) - stall/mush - encountered - supervision - inadequate, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis The airplane settled to the ground during an attempted go-around from a bounced landing. The certified flight instructor (CFI) said that the accident occurred following the student's bounced landing on runway 30 and attempted go-around. The student applied full engine power, retracted the wing flaps to the 10-degree setting, turned the carburetor heat off, and lost directional control of the airplane. The CFI reported that the airplane yawed violently left, at which point he took the flight controls from his student while the airplane was still in ground effect. The CFI decided to continue the go-around procedure, but he was not able to salvage the maneuver, and the airplane continued a slow descent to the ground. The CFI further reported that the airplane touched down on the ground adjacent to the runway. Thereafter, directional control was lost and the airplane was substantially damaged when the left wing impacted the ground. At the time of the occurrence, the wind speed was 3 knots. The CFI had been a flight instructor for about 6 months prior to the accident. ## Factual narrative On April 19, 2006, about 1820 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 152, N757GF, impacted the ground and was substantially damaged at the Merced Municipal Airport, Merced, California. The airplane was operated by KS Aviation, d.b.a. Sierra Academy of Aeronautics, Atwater, California. Neither the certified flight instructor (CFI) who held a commercial pilot certificate, nor the student pilot, was injured during the attempted go-around. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The local area instructional flight originated from Atwater about 1750. The CFI reported to the National Transportation Safety Board investigator that the accident occurred following the student's bounced landing on runway 30 and attempted go-around. The student applied full engine power, retracted the wing flaps to the 10-degree setting, turned the carburetor heat off, and lost directional control of the airplane. The CFI reported that the airplane yawed violently left, at which point he took the flight controls from his student while the airplane was still in the ground effect. The CFI decided to continue the go-around procedure, but he was not able to salvage the maneuver, and the airplane continued a slow descent to the ground. The CFI further reported that the airplane touched down on the ground adjacent to the runway. Thereafter, directional control was lost and the airplane was substantially damaged when the left wing impacted the ground. The CFI reported that he had been an instructor for about 6 months. His student had about 30 hours of flight time. The airport manager reported to the Safety Board investigator that, according to weather data stored in the airport's Automatic Surface Observing System (ASOS), at the time of the accident the wind was from 360 degrees at 3 knots, and the sky was clear. The CFI stated that the visibility was 10 miles. The Safety Board investigator also noted that 27 minutes earlier, at 1753, the ASOS recorded that that the wind was from 340 at 6 knots. According to the Federal Aviation Administration's "Airport Facility Directory," runway 30 is 5,903 feet long and 150 feet wide. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N757GF](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N757GF-2019-07-09), registration cancelled 2019-07-09, S/N 15279723 (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: 15279723 - Engines: Lycoming O-235-L2C 110 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: KS Aviation, doing business as Sierra Academy of Aeronautics - Registered owner: Christiansen Aviation, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility - Departed: MCE, Merced, CA - Destination: MER, Atwater, CA - Airport: MCE, Merced Municipal, runway 30, 5,903 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 24; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1; flight hours: 609 total, 255 in this make and model, 187 in the last 90 days, 71 in the last 30 days - Student pilot; age 22; student; medical: class 2; flight hours: 27 total, 27 in this make and model, 27 in the last 90 days, 19 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 43 °F - Altimeter: 29.92 inHg - Observed at: MCE ## 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 20060419005019A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060419005019A), Apr 19, 2006: Cessna 152, Atwater, CA, Substantial damage. (-23) After a firm landing caused by excessive sink rate with nose up pitch, the student applied full power, removed carb heat and retracted the flaps from 30… 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.