# NTSB LAX84LA202: Cessna 152, N25592, Emigrant Gap, CA, February 27, 1984

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: February 27, 1984, 15:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place: Emigrant Gap, CA
- Coordinates: 39.250602, -120.690818 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.2506&lon=-120.6908&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 24188
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX84LA202
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/24188/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX84LA202

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Nose gear collapsed, landing
  - preflight planning/preparation - inadequate, pilot in command(cfi) (contributing factor)
  - unsuitable terrain or takeoff/landing/taxi area - selected, pilot in command(cfi) (cause)
  - touch-and-go - initiated, dual student
  - airport facilities,runway/landing area condition - snow covered (contributing factor)
  - landing gear,nose gear - overload
- Nose over, landing

## Analysis

THE STUDENT & INSTRUCTOR PLT (CFI) WERE ON A DUAL X-COUNTRY FLT. THEY PROCEEDED TO FLY TO AN UNATTENDED ARPT AT EMIGRANT GAP, CA, WHICH WAS AT AN ELEVATION OF 5284 FT. AFTER ARRIVING, THEY CIRCLED THE ARPT & MADE A LOW PASS OVER THE RWY. THEY SAW TRACKS ON THE RWY & ASSUMED THAT ACFT HAD BEEN OPERATING FROM THE ARPT. (LATER, THEY LEARNED THAT THE TRACKS HAD BEEN MADE BY SNOW MOBILE TYPE VEHICLES.) THE CFI ASKED THE STUDENT TO MAKE A SOFT FIELD APCH & LANDING, THEN IMMEDIATELY GO AROUND WITHOUT LOWERING THE NOSE. HOWEVER, WHEN THE MAIN GEAR TOUCHED DOWN, THE WET, UNPACKED SNOW CREATED SUFFICIENT DRAG TO CAUSE THE NOSE TO DROP. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED & THE ACFT NOSED OVER. THE ARPT/FACILITY DIRECTORY STATED THAT THE ARPT WAS UNATTENDED & WAS CLOSED IN WINTER. THE INSTRUCTOR HAD NOT CHECKED THIS DIRECTORY, BUT HAD CHECKED 2 PRIVATE PUBLICATIONS.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N25592 (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 152
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 15280752
- Airframe hours: 3148
- Engines: LYCOMING O-235-L2C 110 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Executive Flyers
- Registered owner: Tom Inderbitzen
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, January 5, 1984, 64 hours before
- Departed: SAC, SACRAMENTO, CA
- Destination: SAC, SACRAMENTO, CA
- Airport: BLU, Blue Canyon-Nyack, runway 33, 3,300 × 50 ft, snow

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 35; airline transport, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: right; flight hours: 2,353 total, 1,700 in this make and model, 2,200 as pilot in command, 104 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 200° at 5 knots, gusting 7
- Visibility: 75 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 20,000 ft overcast
- Temperature: 39 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: BLU

## 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 19840227004739A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19840227004739A), Feb 27, 1984: Cessna 152, Emigrant Gap, NV, Substantial damage. Landed on a snow covered runway. Wet snow folded the nose gear. Aircraft nosed over. Failed to check NOTAMS.

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.

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