LAX82FA291

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 152 · Weaverville, CA · August 8, 1982

Accident · FatalField investigationFinal report
Date
August 8, 1982, 10:50 local (17:50 UTC)
Place
Weaverville, CA
Injuries
1 fatal
Damage
Destroyed
Phase of flight
Approach
Aircraft
N48754Cessna 152
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report August 8, 1983
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19820808034889A
Case key
72984

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

On this page

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

In flight collision with objectGo-around (vfr)
Weather condition - high density altitudeFactor
Terrain condition - uphillFactor
Distance - misjudgedPilot in commandCause
Altitude - misjudgedPilot in commandCause
Go-around - attemptedPilot in command
Stall/mush - inadvertentPilot in commandCause
Object - tree(s)Factor

Analysis

The student pilot was practicing takeoffs and landings at a unidirectional runway. The airport procedure was to takeoff downhill on runway 18 and to land uphill on runway 36. Pilots, who flew at the airport, stated that go-arounds were not made on runway 36 since the terrain and trees rise very sharply. Witnesses reported that during an approach to runway 36, the plane was about half way up the runway and was still 30 to 40 ft in the air when the pilot began a go-around. They saw the plane continue in a nose high attitude, at or near the stall speed, but gaining no significant clearance above the surface. The right wing struck a pine tree and the plane crashed. An investigation revealed the density altitude was about 4600 ft. the runway was 3390 ft long and had a 5 degree upslope to the north.

Aircraft

Registration
N48754
Reported as
Cessna 152
Category
Airplane
Serial number
80953
Airframe hours
1,010
Engine
Lycoming O-235-L2C, 110 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Destroyed
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Operator
Barbara & William Horn Heiskan
Registered owner
Barbara & William Horn Heiskan
Departed
054 · Weaverville, CA
Destination
054 · Weaverville, CA
Airport
054 · Weaverville, runway 36, 3,390 × 40 ft, asphalt

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
57
Certificate
Student
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Flight hours
92 total · 92 in this make and model · 30 as pilot in command · 14 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
Calm
Visibility
50 statute miles
Temperature
192 °F
Altimeter
30.00 inHg

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.