Cessna 152 N48737

Summary

On 17 November 1996 at about 23:45 local time, a Cessna 152 registered N48737 was involved in an accident near Gilroy, 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

17 November 1996 at 23:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Gilroy, California, United States

Coordinates

37.0607, -121.5490

Aircraft

Cessna 152

Registration

N48737

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Columbia → San Jose

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX97FA044

1 person died.

flight by the pilot into into adverse weather conditions, and his failure to maintain altitude or clearance from mountainous terrain. The adverse weather and terrain conditions were related factors.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

No record was found of the pilot obtaining a preflight or in-flight weather briefing. An AIRMET valid during the period of the flight forecasted mountain obscuration and IFR conditions in the accident area. The instrument rated pilot flew a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country flight over mountainous terrain in marginal weather conditions. The aircraft collided with a coastal mountain ridge at the 1,940 foot level; the coastal mountain range was the last terrain feature before the pilot's destination. Review of the pilot's logbook revealed he lacked the recency of experience to fly in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) under instrument flight rules (IFR). The accident site was obscured by low ceilings during the accident time and subsequently impeded search and rescue operations. Toxicology tests of the pilot's blood and urine detected theophylline (a drug commonly used to treat asthma) at levels of 2.2 mcg/ml and 22.5 mcg/ml, respectively. Also, undetermined levels of ephedrine and phenylopropanolamine (over-th-counter decongestants) were detected in his blood and urine, and an undetermined level of hydrochlorothiazide (a drug commonly used to treat high blood pressure) was detected in his blood.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.