# NTSB LAX08CA090: Cessna 152, N64938, El Cajon, CA, April 1, 2008 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: April 1, 2008, 15:00 local (22:00 UTC) - Place: El Cajon, CA - Coordinates: 32.82611, -116.972503 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.8261&lon=-116.9725&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 30, 2008 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 67781 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX08CA090 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/67781/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX08CA090 ## Probable cause the student pilot's inadequate compensation for gusty, crosswind conditions, and failure to maintain an adequate airspeed. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Wind: crosswind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Not specified; cases with it: [Cessna 152, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040/cases.md?model=2071835), [All aircraft, 1,008 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040/cases.md) - [Wind: gusts](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Not specified; cases with it: [Cessna 152, 14 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md?model=2071835), [All aircraft, 1,199 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: crosswind correction](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062030): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 152, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062030/cases.md?model=2071835), [All aircraft, 184 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062030/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 152, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=2071835), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 152, 48 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=2071835), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis The student was on a solo flight to practice touch-and-go landings. He said he made six successful landings, but noticed that the winds were increasing. On the seventh approach, the winds were variable and started to gust. The student said that he maintained 55 knots as he came over the approach end of the runway. The airplane suddenly drifted to the left side of the runway. He used ailerons, and corrected to the centerline. The airplane touched down hard, and bounced. After the airplane came to rest, he saw smoke and fire, and evacuated from the airplane. ## Factual narrative On April 1, 2008, about 1500 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 152, N64938, experienced a hard landing at Gillespie Field, El Cajon, California. Fly CFA LLC was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The student pilot was not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage during a post crash fire. The local instructional flight departed Gillespie about 1400. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The student was on a solo flight to practice touch-and-go landings. He made six successful landings, but noticed that the winds were increasing. On the seventh approach, he stated that the winds were variable and started to gust. The student said that he maintained 55 knots as he came over the approach end of the runway. The airplane suddenly drifted to the left side of the runway. He used ailerons, and corrected to the centerline. The airplane touched down hard, and bounced. After the airplane came to rest, he saw smoke and fire, and evacuated from the airplane. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N64938](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N64938-2010-03-09), registration cancelled 2010-03-09, S/N 15281486, built 1978 (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: 15281486 - Engines: Lycoming O-235-L2C reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Fly CFA LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, March 1, 2008 - Departed: SEE, El Cajkon, CA - Destination: SEE, El Cajkon, CA - Airport: KSEE, Gillespie Field, runway 27L, 2,738 × 60 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 20; injuries: none; student; medical: class 1; seat: left; flight hours: 27 total, 27 in this make and model, 27 in the last 90 days, 15 in the last 30 days, 7 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 290° at 15 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 12,000 ft broken - Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 45 °F - Altimeter: 30.04 inHg - Observed at: KSEE ## 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 20080401014029A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080401014029A), Apr 1, 2008: Cessna 152, San Diego/El C, CA, Destroyed. (-23) On approach for landing, the student pilot stated that he remembered bouncing off of the nose gear once before impacting nose first onto the runway.… 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.