Cessna 152 N48860

Summary

On 8 March 1993 at about 01:35 local time, a Cessna 152 registered N48860, operated by Midfield Aviation, was involved in an accident near Apple Valley, California, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 March 1993 at 01:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Apple Valley, California, United States

Coordinates

34.5697, -117.1497

Aircraft

Cessna 152

Registration

N48860

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Midfield Aviation

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

LAX93FA144

1 person died.

THE PILOT INADVERTENTLY STALLED THE AIRPLANE NEAR THE GROUND. THE INTENTIONAL BUZZING, OVER CONFIDENCE IN HIS PERSONAL ABILITY, AND POOR INFLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION WERE FACTORS.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT RENTED THE AIRPLANE DURING THE AFTERNOON FOR A PERSONAL FLIGHT WITH HIS DAUGHTER. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, HE WAS SEEN FLYING OVER HIS APARTMENT COMPLEX, CIRCLING AT LEAST TEN TIMES. ANOTHER PILOT STATED THAT A FRIEND OF HIS TOLD HIM THAT THE PILOT HAD FLOWN OVER HER VEHICLE THE AFTERNOON OF THE ACCIDENT AND HE WAS 'YANKING AND BANKING' AT LOW LEVELS DOING STALLS. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED WITH THE GROUND AND THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN AN INVERTED POSITION. THE AIRPLANE WAS SIGHTED THE NEXT MORNING BY ANOTHER AIRPLANE. SEARCH AND RESCUE PERSONNEL RESCUED THE SURVIVOR THE NEXT MORNING. THE PILOT HAD A HISTORY OF PERFORMING LOW LEVEL MANUEVERS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.