# NTSB LAX91LA078: Cessna 172P, N96306, Sacramento, CA, January 22, 1991

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: January 21, 1991, 19:36 local (Jan 22, 1991, 03:36 UTC)
- Place: Sacramento, CA
- Coordinates: 38.690158, -121.600013 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.6902&lon=-121.6000&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious
- Status: Completed, report January 25, 1993
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 27097
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX91LA078
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/27097/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX91LA078

## Probable cause

THE FLIGHT'S INADVERTANT ENCOUNTER WITH WAKE TURBULENCE.

## Sequence of events

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

- Loss of control - in flight, cruise
  - became lost/disoriented - inadvertent, pilot in command
  - wake turbulence - encountered, pilot in command (cause)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled

## Analysis

THE ACCIDENT SITE IS ABOUT 3 MILES SOUTH OF THE SACRAMENTO AIRPORT NEAR THE EXTENDED CENTERLINE FOR RUNWAY 34L.  THE TRACON TRACKED THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT AS IT PENETRATED THE ARSA AT 1300 FEET MSL ON A NW BOUND HEADING. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED TO TURN WEST BOUND AS IT DESCENDED TO 800 FT MSL AND CROSS THE EXTENDED RUNWAY CENTER LINE BEHIND AN ARRIVING AMERICAN AIRLINES MD80.  THE CESSNA WAS OBSERVED ON RADAR TO CROSS THE FLIGHT PATH OF THE MD80 1 MILE BEHIND AND 100 FT LOWER THAN THE TRANSPORT BEFORE IT ABRUPTLY DISAPPEARED FROM THE RADAR.  CONTROLLERS ON DUTY IN THE ATCT SAID THEY SAW THE LIGHTS OF THE CESSNA PASS BEHIND AND JUST BELOW THE MD80, THEN IT ABRUPTLY DESCENDED TOWARD THE GROUND.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N96306](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N96306-1993-05-03), registration cancelled 1993-05-03, S/N 17276055 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172P
- Registry model: [Cessna 172P](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172p) (registry code 2072436) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 17276055
- Engines: LYCOMING O-320-D2J 160 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Patterson Aircraft Co.
- Registered owner: Patterson Aircraft Co.
- Last inspection: Unknown, January 2, 2000
- Destination: RBL, RED BLUFF, CA
- Flight plan: VFR

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 23; commercial, foreign; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; flight hours: 470 total, 240 in this make and model, 187 as pilot in command, 68 in the last 90 days, 28 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark
- Wind: 330° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Observed at: SMF, 3 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 (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19910121000799A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19910121000799A), Jan 21, 1991: Cessna 172P, Sacramento, CA, Destroyed. Penetrated arsa without communicating,passed behind landing MD80. Wake turbulence caused loss of control.

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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