Cessna 152 N783G

Summary

On 18 May 1990 at about 00:53 local time, a Cessna 152 registered N783G, operated by CAL Aero Flying Club, was involved in an accident near San Diego, California, 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

18 May 1990 at 00:53

Classification

Accident

Location

San Diego, California, United States

Nearest airport

Montgomery (MYF)

Coordinates

32.7997, -117.1300

Aircraft

Cessna 152

Registration

N783G

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

CAL Aero Flying Club

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX90FA179

1 person died.

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED ON FINAL APPROACH RESULTING IN AN AERODYNAMIC STALL. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S DELAYED USE OF FLAPS.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED TO ABRUPTLY PITCH NOSE DOWN ON FINAL APPROACH. THE SOLO STUDENT PILOT AT THE CONTROLS HAD LOGGED ABOUT 28 HOURS TOTAL FLIGHT EXPERIENCE. ACCORDING TO THE STUDENT PILOT'S FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR, TWO HOURS OF DUAL INSTRUCTION WERE DEVOTED TO FLIGHT AT MINIMUM CONTROLLABLE AIRSPEED. THE AIRPLANE FLAPS WERE DETERMINED TO BE IN TRANSIT AT THE TIME OF IMPACT. THE FLAP JACKSCREW MECHANISM INDICATED THE FLAPS TO BE AT AN INTERMEDIATE POSITION OF 7 DEGREES WHILE THE FLAP HANDLE INDICATED 10 DEGREES. THE FLAPS SHOULD BE SET FOR LANDING BY THE TIME THE AIRPLANE HAD REACHED ITS POSITION ON FINAL APPROACH. THE STUDENT PILOT WAS IN RADIO CONTACT WITH THE CONTROL TOWER. THERE WERE NO REPORTS BY THE STUDENT PILOT OF ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRPLANE. THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS FOUND WITH THE AIRPLANE DURING THE WRECKAGE EXAMINATION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.