# NTSB LAX96LA304: Cessna 172N, N42ES, Fullerton, CA, August 10, 1996 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 10, 1996, 11:46 local (18:46 UTC) - Place: Fullerton, CA - Location: 33.8680° N, 117.9965° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs from NTSB’s distance and direction from FULLERTON MUNI (FUL), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.8680&lon=-117.9965&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 5, 1997 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 29534 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX96LA304 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/29534/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX96LA304 ## Probable cause the pilot's misjudged glide path and delayed remedial action by not promptly initiating a go-around. A contributing factor was the pilot's lack of experience flying the airplane. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with object, landing - aborted - object - fence - proper glidepath - misjudged, pilot in command (cause) - lack of total experience in type of aircraft, pilot in command (contributing factor) - remedial action - delayed, pilot in command (cause) - go-around - delayed, pilot in command (cause) - aborted landing - discontinued, pilot in command ## Analysis According to the pilot, no mechanical problems were noted with the airplane during his flight from Santa Ana to Fullerton. The pilot reported that the airplane was slightly high on approach to Fullerton's runway 24, which is 3,121 feet long, so he initiated a go-around passing midfield. Seconds later, upon perceiving a degradation in climb performance, he terminated the attempted go-around and the airplane collided with the airport's perimeter fence. The pilot subsequently reported that during his landing approach the flaps had malfunctioned. The FAA examined the flap operating system and the engine. No evidence of any preimpact malfunction was found. The 124-hour total time pilot had received a private pilot certificate 3 months earlier. His total experience flying the Cessna was 4 hours. ## Factual narrative On August 10, 1996, at 1146 hours Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N42ES, operated by the Orange County Flight Center, collided with a perimeter fence during an aborted landing on runway 24 at the Fullerton Municipal Airport, Fullerton, California. The airplane was substantially damaged and the private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight which originated from Orange County, California, at 1130. The pilot reported that no mechanical problems were noted with the airplane during the initial approach to the runway, which is 3,121 feet long. According to the pilot, he was slightly high on the approach, and he began the landing flare around midfield while in a flaps up configuration. The pilot further indicated that he believed there was insufficient runway on which to stop, so he commenced a go-around by adding engine power. The engine responded, but the airplane impacted a perimeter fence after overflying the departure end of the runway. In the pilot's completed report, he stated that during his landing approach the flaps failed to extend beyond the 10-degree setting due to a mechanical malfunction. The pilot also reported that after he initiated a go-around the airplane's performance "appeared to deteriorate," so he initiated a precautionary landing during which the airplane collided with the fence. The pilot received his private pilot certificate in May, 1996. By the accident date, he had a total of 124 hours of flight time which included 4 hours in the Cessna 172 airplane. The Federal Aviation Administration examined the airplane's flap operating system and the engine. No evidence of preimpact malfunctions was noted. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N42ES](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N42ES-1997-10-25), registration cancelled 1997-10-25, S/N 17268070 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172N - Registry model: [Cessna 172N](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n) (registry code 2072434) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17268070 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-H2AD 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Orange County Flight Center - Registered owner: Jauch Hasso - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility - Last inspection: Annual, July 22, 1996 - Departed: SNA, ORANGE COUNTY, CA - Destination: FUL - Airport: FUL, Fullerton Municipal, runway 24, 3,121 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 18; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 124 total, 4 in this make and model, 15 as pilot in command, 15 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 190° at 5 knots - Visibility: 3 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 68 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: FUL, 1 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 19960810030319A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960810030319A), Aug 10, 1996: Cessna 172N, Ft Lauderdale, FL, Substantial damage. Too high and long began late go around. Struck fence overflying end of runway. 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.