# NTSB LAX93LA213: Cessna 152, N76284, Santa Ynez, CA, May 11, 1993 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 10, 1993, 23:10 local (May 11, 1993, 06:10 UTC) - Place: Santa Ynez, CA - Coordinates: 34.610191, -120.140625 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.6102&lon=-120.1406&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 26, 1994 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 28382 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX93LA213 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/28382/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX93LA213 ## Probable cause THE PILOT'S POOR PROCEDURES AND FAILURE TO FLY TO AN ALTERNATE AIRPORT. FACTORS RELATING TO THIS ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE, ENCOUNTER WITH UNFAVORABLE WINDS, AND THE DARK NIGHT. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, cruise - fluid,fuel - exhaustion - procedures/directives - poor, pilot in command (cause) - lack of total experience, pilot in command (contributing factor) - not performed, pilot in command (cause) - weather condition - unfavorable wind (contributing factor) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - emergency - terrain condition - rough/uneven - light condition - dark night (contributing factor) ## Analysis THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED AN UNFORECASTED HEADWIND. HE SAID HE DID NOT PERFORM ANY GROUNDSPEED CHECKS TO DETERMINE THE PROGRESS OF THE FLIGHT AND AND THEREFORE DID NOT DIVERT TO AN ALTERNATE AIRPORT BEFORE THE FUEL STATE BECAME A CRITICAL ISSUE. WHEN FUEL EXHAUSTION WAS IMMINENT THE PILOT CONTACTED THE AIR ROUTE TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTER AND WAS PROVIDED A RADAR VECTOR TO THE NEAREST AIRPORT. THE AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED FUEL EXHAUSTION BEFORE ARRIVING AT THE NEAREST AIRPORT. ## Factual narrative On May 10, 1993, at about 2310 hours Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 152, N76284, collided with a fence, and subsequently nosed over during a forced landing near Santa Ynez, California. The pilot was conducting a visual flight rules personal flight. The airplane, registered to Reese Aviation, Livermore, California, sustained substantial damage. The certificated private pilot and his passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated at Livermore Municipal Airport at about 2010 hours. According to the FAA, the pilot reportedly told the Los Angeles Air Route Traffic Control Center sector controller that he was "critical fuel." The FAA inspector who examined the aircraft reportedly found no fuel in the fuel tanks. He stated that there was a noticeable lack of fuel smell near the accident site. The pilot reported in the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1/2, that he had received a weather briefing before departing on the accident flight. While enroute the flight encountered stronger headwinds. The pilot also stated that he had not checked the airplane's groundspeed during the enroute phase of the flight. ## Aircraft - Registration: N76284 (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 152 - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 15281723 - Airframe hours: 1479 - Engines: LYCOMING O-235-L2C 110 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Eric Reese - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility - Last inspection: 100 hour, April 22, 1993, 43 hours before - Departed: LVK, LIVERMORE, CA - Destination: SBA, SANTA BARBARA, CA - Airport: IZA, Santa Ynez ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 20; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 104 total, 21 in this make and model, 60 as pilot in command, 28 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark - Wind: calm - Visibility: 30 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 55 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19930510052029A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930510052029A), May 10, 1993: Cessna 120, Santa Ynez, CA, Substantial damage. Lost power, night en route. Hit fence landing. Fuel tanks empty. Nosed over. No fuel smell. Unfavorable headwind. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.