- Date
- November 19, 1993, 11:23 local (19:23 UTC)
- Place
- Compton, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N5312LCessna 152
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 13, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19931119043999A
- Case key
- 28605
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
were the noncertificated student pilot's misjudged flare altitude, improper recovery from a bounced landing, and improper use of the left brake. The student pilot's lack of total experience and panic were factors in this accident.
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 noncertificated student pilot was completing his first supervised solo landing. On touch down, the airplane bounced. The student pilot panicked and, inadvertently, depressed the left brake. The airplane exited the runway and collided with a hangar and motor home.
Factual narrative
On November 19, 1993, at 1123 hours Pacific standard time, a Cessna 152, N5312L, lost control, exited runway 25L, and collided with a ground vehicle and hangar at Compton Airport, Compton, California. The noncertificated student pilot was completing the first landing of his first supervised solo flight. The airplane, registered to and operated by Consolidated Aviation, dba Compton Aviation, sustained substantial damage. The student pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated as a dual instructional flight at 1045 hours.
The student pilot's flight instructor (CFI) told National Transportation Safety Board investigators that he was standing in front of Compton Aviation's office facilities observing the student's takeoff and landing. The flight instructor had flown with the student about a half hour before allowing the student to solo. The instruction preceding the accident consisted of seven (7) full-stop takeoffs and landings. During this time, the CFI reported that the student's takeoffs and landings were better than average.
The CFI said that the student's takeoff and traffic pattern was normal. While on final approach, the airplane's airspeed, however, was "...slightly fast...." The student flared the airplane at its normal flare altitude and the airplane landed on its main wheels first, followed by the nose wheel. The airplane touched down about 300 feet beyond the runway threshold (about 1,300 feet beyond the approach end of the runway), and bounced no more than one foot. Other taxiing airplanes blocked his view so he did not see the landing roll-out. Moments later, he observed several people running toward the hangars south of the runway.
The student pilot told Safety Board investigators, with the assistance of an interpreter, that his final approach speed was above 60 knots. The airplane bounced on touch down and he panicked and, inadvertently, depressed the left brake. The airplane exited the runway to the left, crossed the dirt area, and entered the taxiway and parking apron. The airplane's left wing struck a parked motorhome, turned left 180 degrees, and the right wing simultaneously struck a hangar and nosed into the ground.
The student pilot also said that the airplane did not experience any mechanical malfunctions or failures.
Safety Board investigators examined the student pilot's flight hours logbook. The logbook showed that as of the accident flight the student had accrued 17.9 hours of dual instruction. All of the flights were flown in the accident airplane make and model. The CFI had endorsed the student pilot's certificate and flight logbook according to current applicable federal air regulations.
Safety Board investigators examined the wreckage on November 19, 1993. The wreckage examination revealed that both wings outer panels sustained extensive rearward crushing. The rear spar, at its wing-to-fuselage attach fittings, was also damaged. Both wing flaps were found fully extended.
The cockpit wing flap control lever was found in the 30-degrees (full down) position. The carburetor heat control was selected to on position.
Safety Board investigators conducted a visual examination and an operational check of the brake system. Both brakes operated normally and their respective brake pads/rotor disks exhibited normal wear patterns.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5312L
- Reported as
- Cessna 152
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15284294
- Airframe hours
- 17,221
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2C, 110 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Consolidated Aviation, doing business as Compton Aviation
- Registered owner
- Consolidated Aviation Corp.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · October 12, 1993 · 30 hours before
- Departed
- CPM
- Airport
- CPM · Compton Airport, runway 25L, 3,670 × 60 ft, asphalt
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
- 20
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 18 total · 18 in this make and model · 1 as pilot in command · 18 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.