- Date
- July 7, 1996, 12:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- California City, CA
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N332CSCessna 150L
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 16, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960707016369A
- Case key
- 29501
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
The pilot's selection of an inadequate cruise altitude in an area of rising terrain and his failure to consider the effect of the high density altitude on the climb capability of the aircraft.
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 pilot reported that he was helping his passenger look for his lost truck in the desert and was flying about 500 feet agl over an area of gradually rising terrain. The pilot stated that he encountered a downdraft and he could not arrest the rate of descent so he began a turn toward down sloping terrain. The pilot reported that the downdraft became stronger in the turn and when ground impact was eminent he rolled the wings level as the wheels contacted the ground. After a short ground roll the aircraft contacted a large bush, which nosed the aircraft over onto it's back. Based on a temperature report from the closest aviation weather reporting station and the pilot's reported ground elevation, the density altitude was calculated at 6,500 feet.
Factual narrative
On July 7, 1996, at 1230 hours Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 150L, N332CS, collided with brush and rising terrain near California City, California. The aircraft was operated by Caracole Soaring of California City and rented by the pilot for a local area personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and included light and variable wind conditions. The aircraft was destroyed in the ground collision sequence. The certificated airline transport pilot and his one passenger sustained minor injuries. The flight originated at the California City airport on the day of the accident at 1130.
The pilot reported that he was helping his passenger look for his lost truck in the desert and was flying about 500 feet agl over an area of gradually rising terrain. The pilot stated that he encountered a downdraft and he could not arrest the rate of descent so he began a turn toward down sloping terrain. The pilot reported that the downdraft became stronger in the turn and when ground impact was eminent he rolled the wings level as the wheels contacted the ground. After a short ground roll the aircraft contacted a large bush, which nosed the aircraft over onto it's back.
Based on a temperature report from the closest aviation weather reporting station and the pilot's reported ground elevation, the density altitude was calculated at 6,500 feet.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N332CS
- Reported as
- Cessna 150L
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15075697
- Airframe hours
- 6,079
- Engine
- Continental O-200A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Caracole Soaring
- Registered owner
- Charles J. Sprout
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 15, 1996 · 23 hours before
- Departed
- L71
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
- 40
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport, Flight engineer
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,147 total · 927 in this make and model · 2,750 as pilot in command · 143 in the last 90 days · 82 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 14 knots
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 97 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- WJF
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.