Aviation Crash Map

Cessna 152 N757FT

25 November 1997 · El Cajon, California, United States · Fatal

Summary

On 25 November 1997 at about 19:32 local time, a Cessna 152 registered N757FT, operated by Jean Runner, was involved in an accident near El Cajon, California, United States. 3 people were on board and one died, 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 19:32
Classification
Accident
Location
El Cajon, California, United States
Nearest airport
Gillespie Field (SEE)
Coordinates
32.7908, -116.9592
Aircraft
Cessna 152
Registration
N757FT
Category
Airplane
Engines
1
Operator
Jean Runner
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Instructional
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Aircraft damage
Destroyed
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
LAX98FA045

People

1 person died.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
3 1 0 2 0

Probable cause

The pilot of the other aircraft's failure to recognize and follow the aircraft on the downwind as instructed. Factors influencing this accident were the pilot's failure to see and avoid the other aircraft; the flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the flight; the pilot of the other aircraft's failure to verify the controller's instructions; the altitude limitation of the Brite radar repeater in the tower cab that prevented its use in traffic pattern separation; and the prevailing haze which restricted visibility.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

A Cessna 152 (C-152)and a Cessna 172 (C-172) collided in mid air while in a closed traffic pattern at Gillepsie Field. A student and flight instructor were aboard the C-152, and a student pilot was the sole occupant of the C-172. The C-172 was cleared to takeoff with instructions to follow the C-152. A third aircraft was also in the traffic pattern at the time. After takeoff, the air traffic controller looked away to check on other traffic but when he looked back, neither aircraft was visible. He made several unsuccessful calls to both the pilots. The student in the C-152 reported that he had turned crosswind as he came abeam of the third aircraft. When he reached pattern altitude, he began his downwind turn. He was trimming the aircraft when he saw the C-172 approaching his position. He banked hard to avoid the aircraft, but felt an impact. The instructor attempted to take the controls and, with both pilots on the controls, they executed an emergency forced landing on a surface street. The aircraft elevator control lost effectiveness and the aircraft landed hard. They did not report any other mechanical abnormalities before or after the collision. Witnesses reported that both aircraft were on a converging flight path. The student pilot in the C-172 was making his second solo flight but had not advised the controller. The controller did not specify that he was number 3 in the pattern. Haze was reported in all quadrants. The Brite radar repeater in the tower cab is not capable of monitoring traffic on the south side of the airport due to terrain height.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Aircraft involved

Aircraft Registration Operator Damage
Cessna 152 152 N757FT Jean Runner Destroyed
Cessna 172M 172M N9518H Andy Burr Destroyed

Other Cessna 152 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
10 Apr 1997 Cessna 152
N5442B
La Crosse, Florida, United States - No injuries -
29 Jan 1997 Cessna 152
N67898
North Andover, Massachusetts, United States
no coordinates
- No injuries -
11 Oct 1997 Cessna 152
N67293
Julian, California, United States Plus One Flyers, Inc. Fatal 1
20 Jul 1997 Cessna 152
N152DG
Arcadia, Florida, United States
no coordinates
Harald Kirchmayr No injuries -
29 Jun 1997 Cessna 152
N6099L
Gorman, Texas, United States Spencer Jones Minor injuries -
2 Jul 1997 Cessna 152
N69073
Fort Worth, Texas, United States Bridgeport Flight Training Minor injuries -

All 3,030 records for this type

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Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
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15 Aug 1997 Bell UH-1H
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11 Oct 1997 Schweizer 2-32
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12 Oct 1997 Bellanca 7ECA
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Tracy, California, United States - Fatal 1
26 Oct 1997 Extra Flugzeugbau EA-300
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Castaic, California, United States
no coordinates
- Fatal 2
27 Oct 1997 Cessna U206B
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Markleeville, California, United States Reinhold J. Lukas Fatal 4

All 170,864 records in United States