Cessna 152 N5199Q

Summary

On 30 June 1989 at about 14:55 local time, a Cessna 152 registered N5199Q was involved in an accident near Cordes, Arizona, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

30 June 1989 at 14:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Cordes, Arizona, United States

Coordinates

34.3392, -112.0296

Aircraft

Cessna 152

Registration

N5199Q

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Deer Valley → Cottonwood

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX89FA229

1 person died.

THE PILOT MISJUDGED HIS ALTITUDE, WHILE MANEUVERING AT LOW ALTITUDE OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, AND DIVERSION OF THE PILOT'S ATTENTION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE STUDENT PILOT, WHO HAD 79 TOTAL HOURS OF FLIGHT TIME, DEPARTED ON HIS THIRD SUPERVISED SOLO CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. WHILE EN ROUTE TO HIS DESTINATION, HE BEGAN CIRCLING OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. THE AIRCRAFT'S ALTITUDE PROGRESSIVELY LOWERED. A WITNESS REPORTED THAT AFTER THE THIRD CIRCLE, THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED & CARTWHEELED TO A STOP. THE STUDENT HAD PARTICIPATED IN CIVIL AIR PATROL FLIGHTS & WAS ACQUAINTED WITH A PROTOCOL FOR 'CONTOUR' SEARCHING OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. AN ACQUAINTANCE OF THE PILOT SUSPECTED THAT HE MIGHT HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR INDIAN RUINS, WHILE CIRCLING. THE ACQUAINTANCE ALSO STATED THAT A PILOT COULD BECOME FIXATED ON AN OBJECT DURING A CONTOUR SEARCH.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.