- Date
- December 31, 2021, 14:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Mojave, CA · Airport
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N89084Cessna 152
- Defining event
- Taxi-to runway: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20211231021569A
- Case key
- 104474
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 failure to maintain airplane control during an encounter with a wind gust during taxi.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that, while taxiing to the runway for takeoff, the airplane encountered a gust of wind which lifted the airplane. The airplane subsequently nosed over on the taxiway. Both wings and the vertical stabilizer were substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airport's automated surface observation system reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 250° at 27 knots, gusting to 32 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N89084
- Reported as
- Cessna 152
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15282623
- Built
- 1978
- Airframe hours
- 14,416
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L3C, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Aero Association Of Caltech Inc
- Registered owner
- Aero Association Of Caltech Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 8, 2021
- Destination
- KEMT · El Monte, CA
- Airport
- MHV · Mojave Air And Space Port, runway 26, 7,049 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- ADS-B, Handheld GPS, Stall warning system
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
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 1, 2021
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 63.4 total · 61.6 in this make and model · 18.9 as pilot in command · 4.5 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 27 knots, gusting 32
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 50 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.63 inHg
- Observed at
- K9L2, 15 nm away
- METAR
- K9L2 312158Z AUTO 25027G32KT 10SM CLR 10/01 A2963 RMK AO2 PK WND 27033/37 SLP034 T00990012
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 18, 2022, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.1 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N89084 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.