# NTSB LAX07CA076: Cessna 152, N25932, Aptos, CA, January 30, 2007 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: January 30, 2007, 15:47 local (23:47 UTC) - Place: Aptos, CA - Coordinates: 36.933334, -121.849998 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.9333&lon=-121.8500&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 25, 2007 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 65230 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX07CA076 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/65230/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX07CA076 ## Probable cause the student pilot's becoming lost and disoriented that resulted in an improper in-flight decision to make a precautionary landing in an unsuitable open field. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Nose over, landing - roll - panic, pilot in command - became lost/disoriented - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause) - weather condition - clouds - in-flight planning/decision - improper, pilot in command (cause) - terrain condition - rough/uneven - unsuitable terrain or takeoff/landing/taxi area - selected, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis The airplane nosed over during an off airport landing. During the student pilot's second solo cross-country flight, he became disoriented and scared after he had flown between two cloud layers, and was unable to see the ground. He said he panicked and was having difficulty thinking clearly. He descended into the clouds at 4,000 feet msl, and broke out of the clouds about 1,100 feet msl, where he was able to see an open field. He elected to land in the field; however, during the landing roll out, the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. The pilot stated that the airplane and engine had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight. ## Factual narrative On January 30, 2007, about 1547 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 152, N25932, nosed over during a precautionary landing in an open field near Aptos, California. Nice Air, Inc., was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The solo cross-country instructional flight departed Mesa Del Rey Airport (KIC), King City, California, about 1510, with a planned destination of San Jose, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The approximate global positioning system (GPS) coordinates of the primary wreckage were 36 degrees 56 minutes north latitude and 121 degrees 51 minutes west longitude. The student pilot stated in a written report that this was his second solo cross-country flight. He became disoriented and scared after he had flown between two cloud layers, and was unable to see the ground. He descended into the clouds at 4,000 feet, and broke out of the clouds about 1,100 feet. He said he panicked and was having difficulty thinking clearly. He saw an open field, and elected to land. During the landing roll out the airplane nosed over. The pilot stated that the airplane and engine had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N25932](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N25932), registered now, S/N 15280864, 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: 15280864 - Airframe hours: 8966 - Engines: Lycoming O-235-L2C 110 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: California In Nice, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 1, 2006 - Departed: KIC, KING CITY, CA - Destination: RHV, SAN JOSE, CA - Airport: WVI, Watsonville Muni ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 22; injuries: none; student; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 77 total, 67 in this make and model, 67 in the last 90 days, 34 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 270° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,100 ft overcast - Temperature: 52 °F, dew point 46 °F - Altimeter: 29.95 inHg - Observed at: WVI, 4 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 20070130002249A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070130002249A), Jan 30, 2007: Cessna 152, Aptos, CA, Substantial damage. (-23) The student pilot was accomplishing a solo flight from reid-hillview airport located in san jose, CA to paso robles, CA. After arriving at paso robles… 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.