Cessna 152 N152L

Summary

On 25 June 2016 at about 19:18 local time, a Cessna 152 registered N152L was involved in an accident near Delta, Colorado, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

25 June 2016 at 19:18

Classification

Accident

Location

Delta, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

Westwinds (D17)

Coordinates

38.7614, -108.1411

Aircraft

Cessna 152

Registration

N152L

Category

Airplane

Year built

1979

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Delta → Crawford

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA16CA336

Nobody was injured.

The pilot exceeded the critical angle of attack during the initial climb in tailwind conditions, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported he taxied to the end of the runway for a full length departure and during the initial climb the wind shifted from a headwind to a tailwind. The pilot initially reported that during the initial climb, there were no aerodynamic stall indications, but during a follow-up interview he reported that "the airplane definitely stalled." Subsequently, the airplane impacted terrain in a vacant lot north of the runway and nosed over, resulting in substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. The pilot reported there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. A review of recorded data from the automated weather observation station located about 4 miles to the northeast, revealed that, about 3 minutes before the accident the wind was 260 degrees true at 13 knots, with gust 17 knots, and wind variable direction from 210 to 280. The airplane departed runway 4. According to a witness on the ground, who was an airline transport pilot with about 22,000 hours of flight time, the airplane taxied onto runway 4 at the midfield point and applied takeoff power. The witness further reported that the he heard the power reduced and then re-applied during the takeoff roll. Subsequently, during the initial climb he witnessed the left wing stall, impact the ground, and nose over after the nose wheel collapsed.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.