- Date
- March 23, 1998, 09:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place
- Dauphin Island, AL
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N24543Cessna 152
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 8, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980323011319A
- Case key
- 38476
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
Failure of the pilot-in-command (CFI) to maintain directional control of the airplane following an intentional low altitude maneuver by the student. Also, altitude inadequate for recovery from the in-flight loss of control.
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
While flying at 3,500 feet mean sea level, the CFI simulated an engine failure. The student initiated a descent for a forced landing to a nearby airport with assistance, and once a safe landing was assured, at 600 feet agl, the CFI advised the student to go-around. The student was slow to apply power which the CFI applied full power then as the CFI was completing communications with ATC, the student applied full left rudder and full aft elevator input. The airplane then began an incipient spin to the left which the CFI was unable to recover before impact with the water.
Factual narrative
On March 23, 1998, about 0900 central standard time, a Cessna 152, N24543, registered to MC Airlease, Inc., descended into the Mississippi Sound near Dauphin Island, Alabama. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight. The airplane was substantially damaged and the certified flight instructor (CFI) sustained minor injuries. The student was not injured. The flight originated about 0830 from the Mobile Regional Airport, Mobile, Alabama.
The CFI stated that the student had performed some maneuvers, then while flying at 3,500 feet mean sea level, she simulated an engine failure. The student maneuvered the airplane toward a nearby airport with some assistance for a forced landing. With a safe landing assured and at about 600 feet agl, she advised the student to recover. The student began to recover but was slow to add power; she applied full power. Communications with Air Traffic Control then took place and as the CFI was completing the communications, she felt an abrupt full left rudder input followed by a full aft elevator input by the student. The airplane immediately entered a spin to the left. The CFI took the controls and attempted to recover from the incipient spin but the main landing gear collided with the water. The airplane remained upright and both exited the airplane before it sank in about 6-8 feet of water.
Postaccident examination of the flight controls by an FAA inspector revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N24543
- Reported as
- Cessna 152
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15280322
- Airframe hours
- 5,544
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2C, 110 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Mc Airlease, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 13, 1998 · 56 hours before
- Departed
- MOB · Mobile, AL
- Airport
- MOB · Mobile Regional
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
- 24
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 378 total · 190 in this make and model · 313 as pilot in command · 62 in the last 90 days · 33 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BFM, 7 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.