Cessna 172P N65005
18 February 2003 · Santa Susana, California, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 18 February 2003 at about 21:35 local time, a Cessna 172P registered N65005, operated by Aero Club, was involved in an accident near Santa Susana, California, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 21:35
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Santa Susana, California, United States
- Coordinates
- 34.3347, -118.6017
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P
- Registration
- N65005
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Aero Club
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Instructional
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Camarillo → Van Nuys
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- LAX03FA090
People
2 people were seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
The flight instructor's inadequate in-flight decision to cross mountainous terrain at a inadequate altitude to guarantee terrain clearance.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The airplane collided with mountainous terrain in a box canyon while attempting a course reversal. According to statements from both the Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) and the student pilot, they approached a 3,400-foot-mountain ridgeline at a cruising altitude of 3,000 feet mean sea level. To keep the most altitude between the airplane and the ground they flew up the center of a box canyon that approached the mountain ridge. The CFI initiated a climb to 3,500 feet. Upon observing that they were not going to clear the ridge, the CFI made a left turn and intentionally stalled the airplane in an attempt to make a survivable landing on the mountain slope. Examination of the airframe and engine revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Cessna 172 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 Dec 2003 | Cessna 172RG | Key West, Florida, United States | Avion Jet Center, LLC | No injuries | - |
| 16 Mar 2003 | Cessna 172N | Foley, Minnesota, United States | - | Fatal | 3 |
| 12 Jul 2003 | Cessna 172S | Chandler, Arizona, United States | Angel Air | No injuries | - |
| 18 Jan 2003 | Cessna 172 | Chesapeake, Virginia, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 21 Mar 2003 | Cessna 172S | Monroe, Georgia, United States | Elite Flight Center | Fatal | 2 |
| 22 Aug 2003 | Cessna 172S | Lake Elmo, Minnesota, United States | Wings, Inc. | Fatal | 3 |
All 12,209 records for this type
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Jan 2003 | Cessna 414 | Palm Springs, California, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 15 Nov 2003 | Omf OMF-100-160 | Van Nuys, California, United States | Alliance International | Serious injuries | - |
| 16 Jan 2003 | Cessna 152 | Salinas, California, United States | Squadron 2 | No injuries | - |
| 17 Nov 2003 | Beechcraft A36TC | Visalia, California, United States | John Rodgers | Minor injuries | - |
| 22 Sep 2003 | Cessna 150F | Reedley, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 27 Sep 2003 | McClanahan STITS PLAYMATE SA-11 | Fontana, California, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |