- Date
- September 16, 1986, 17:32 local (Sep 17, 1986, 00:32 UTC)
- Place
- Van Nuys, CA
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N4945HCessna 152
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 10, 1988
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19860916045299A
- Case key
- 25261
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.
Analysis
The plt & passenger, each weighing 185 pounds, planned a local flight in the rented Cessna 152. The acft's fuel tanks were full. The plt reported that during his pretakeoff engine run up no mechanical difficulties/malfunctions were observed. The plt also reported that the acft's aceleration during the takeoff roll was slow & the acft felt 'lazy' during climb. When the acft failed to gain altitude & it appeared additional lift would be necessary to clear obstacles, the plt lowered the flaps 10 deg. The acft stalled, control was lost, & the acft came to rest in a residential swimming pool. Exam of the acft revealed that the plt had taken off with the ignition key set to the left magneto position. Also, at departure the acft's maximum gross weight had been exceeded by about 15 lbs.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4945H
- Reported as
- Cessna 152
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15284038
- Airframe hours
- 2,854
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2C, 110 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- King Aviation Center
- Registered owner
- Steve Nagy & Elizabeth Nagy
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · August 21, 1986 · 33 hours before
- Departed
- VNY · Van Nuys, CA
- Destination
- VNY · Van Nuys, CA
- Airport
- VNY · Van Nuys, runway 34, 8,001 × 150 ft
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 46
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 361 total · 11 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- VNY, 1 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.