- Date
- January 1, 1987, 10:20 local (18:20 UTC)
- Place
- San Dimas, CA
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N5540HCessna 152
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 17, 1988
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19870101000189A
- Case key
- 25493
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
Witnesses rprtd the acft had circled the area 2 times at aprx 200' before it hit trees & crashed. Subsequently, it came to rest against a residence where the plt's sister lived. According to the plt, the eng started 'sputtering,' so he applied carb heat, but it contd to lose power. However, no preimpact part failure or malfunction was fnd & witnesses rprtd the eng was running normally bfr impact. The pax rprtd they had been at a party the ngt bfr & had been drinking & smoking 'kools' (common street name for cigarettes dipped in phencylidine (pcp)). Based on their observations, sheriff deputies believed the plt was under the influence of pcp. They noted physical symptoms of dry mouth, difficulty with speech, rigid body movements, horizontal nystagmus to the eyes & faint pcp odor emitting from the plt's breath & person. The deputies requested that the plt submit to blood or urine samples for drug and/or alcohol use; however, he refused.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5540H
- Reported as
- Cessna 152
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15284122
- Airframe hours
- 764
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2C, 110 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- King Aviation
- Registered owner
- Casanova, John P.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · December 10, 1986 · 36 hours before
- Departed
- VNY · Van Nuys, CA
- Destination
- POC · La Verne, CA
- Airport
- POC · Brackett
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
- 45
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,366 total · 700 in this make and model · 1,178 as pilot in command · 2 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 3 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 18,000 ft broken
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- POC, 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.