Cessna A152 N4649A

Summary

On 10 September 1990 at about 01:22 local time, a Cessna A152 registered N4649A, operated by Double Eagle Aviation Inc., was involved in an accident near Tucson, Arizona, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

10 September 1990 at 01:22

Classification

Accident

Location

Tucson, Arizona, United States

Coordinates

32.1503, -110.9297

Aircraft

Cessna A152

Registration

N4649A

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Double Eagle Aviation Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Tucson → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX90FA320

2 people died.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO RECOVER FROM A SPIN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ASSURE THERE WAS ADEQUATE ALTITUDE TO RECOVER FROM AN INADVERTENT OR INTENTIONAL SPIN, AND HIS LACK OF RECENT EXPEREINCE IN THE TYPE OF OPERATION.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE 218 HOUR PRIVATE PILOT AND A FRIEND DEPARTED THE AIRPORT IN AN AEROBATIC CESSNA A152 WITH PARACHUTES. THEY PROCEEDED TO THE WEST PRACTICE AREA WHERE RADAR RECORDED THE AIRCRAFT MANEUVERING. THEY FAILED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOCATED TWO DAYS LATER IN THE WEST PRACTICE AREA. AN EXAM REVEALED IT HAD IMPACTED THE GROUND IN ABOUT A 75 DEGREE NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THE AIRCRAFT WAS ROTATING ABOUT THE VERTICAL AXIS WHEN IT IMPACTED THE GROUND. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE AIRCRAFT OR ENGINE WAS FOUND DURING THE INVESTIGATION. THE PILOT HAD PREVIOUSLY RECEIVED ABOUT 15 HOURS OF AEROBATIC INSTRUCTION IN A BELLANCA 7GCA AND LESS THAN AN HOUR IN A CESSNA 152. NO RECORD WAS FOUND THAT HE HAD PERFORMED AEROBATIC FLIGHT SINCE HE HAD COMPLETED THE TRAINING ABOUT 4 MONTHS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.