Cessna 150H accident near Imperial, CA
On November 18, 1995, a Cessna 150H (airplane) was involved in an accident near Imperial, CA. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- November 18, 1995
- Place
- Imperial, CA
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150H · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 32.859°N, 115.649°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001207X04878
NTSB summary
On November 18, 1995, about 1507 hours Pacific standard time, a Cessna 150H, N23102, operated by Plus One Flyers, collided with a power pole and crashed on approach to the Imperial County (uncontrolled) Airport, Imperial, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the solo instructional flight, and a VFR flight plan was filed. The airplane was destroyed, and the student pilot was fatally injured. The solo cross-country flight originated from Montgomery Field, San Diego, California, at 1135 and made a stop at Palm Springs. The pilot departed Palm Springs at 1400 with the intention of performing a full stop landing at Imperial, and then returning to San Diego. The Imperial County Airport's elevation is 56 feet below sea level. The pilot's navigation logs for the route segment from Palm Springs to Imperial were recovered from the aircraft and examined. Under the destination airport field elevation column "-56" was entered. Adjacent to that number was written "(950alt)." In the NOAA Airport Facility Directory, the traffic pattern altitude is listed as "944 msl (1,000 agl)." The airport does not have an Air Traffic Control Tower, and air-to-ground advisories on airport and traffic conditions are conducted over the Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF). Radio communications on the CTAF are not recorded. The CTAF at the airport is monitored by a Fixed Base Operator (FBO), Imperial Flying Service. The line person on duty the day of the accident was interviewed by FAA inspectors from the San Diego, California, Flight Standards District Office. The witne
Probable cause
the student pilot's misreading of the altimeter while in the traffic pattern, which put the aircraft in dangerous proximity to the ground and obstructions. A factor in the accident was the pilot's inability to see the power pole due to sun glare as the aircraft turned onto base from downwind.
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Browse: California · Cessna aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
