Cessna 172M N12943

Summary

On 4 December 1990 at about 23:24 local time, a Cessna 172M registered N12943, operated by Cable Air, was involved in an accident near Big Bear City, California, United States. 3 people were on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

4 December 1990 at 23:24

Classification

Accident

Location

Big Bear City, California, United States

Nearest airport

Big Bear City (L35)

Coordinates

34.2598, -116.8405

Aircraft

Cessna 172M

Registration

N12943

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Cable Air

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Upland

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX91LA050

1 person had minor injuries.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED DURING TAKEOFF AND HIS INCORRECT USE OF FULL FLAPS. FACTORS RELATED TO THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE CONDITION AND TO THE PILOT'S ABRUPT AIRPLANE HANDLING TECHNIQUES.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE CERTIFICATED AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT RECEIVED A CHECKOUT FROM THE FIXED BASE OPERATOR IN THE MORNING OF THE ACCIDENT FLT. THE RT FRONT SEAT NONCERTIFICATED STUDENT PLT REPTD THAT AFTER THE CHECKOUT WHEN THE PIC DEPT CABLE ARPT HE NEARLY STALLED THE AIRPLANE BECAUSE HE USED FULL FLAPS AND ROTATED ABRUPTLY. THE PIC WAS ABLE TO ARREST THE IMMINENT STALL AND THEN PROCEEDED TO BIG BEAR, A 6,750 FT HIGH ALT ARPT. WHEN THE FLT DEPT BIG BEAR THE PIC DID NOT LEAN THE MIXTURE AND AGAIN USED FULL FLAPS FOR TAKEOFF. THE PIC ROTATED THE AIRPLANE PREMATURELY BY ABRUPTLY PULLING THE CONTROL WHEEL ALL THE WAY BACK. THE AIRPLANE GAINED SOME ALTITUDE, BECAME UNSTABLE AND STALLED. DURING THE STALL THE PIC FAILED TO LOWER THE NOSE AND IMMEDIATELY RETRACTED THE FLAPS. THE AIRPLANE CONTACTED THE RWY AND NOSED OVER. THE PILOT'S USAGE OF FLAPS WAS CONTRARY TO PUBLISHED INSTRUCTIONS IN THE CESSNA OWNER'S MANUAL.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.