History of Flight
On November 19, 2017, at about 1756 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 152 airplane, N24987, was destroyed when it impacted terrain shortly after takeoff from Tehachapi Municipal Airport (TSP), Tehachapi, California. The private pilot sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was operated by Barnes Aviation as a personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight was originating at the time of the accident; the pilot's intended destination was not determined.
The pilot had rented the airplane from Barnes Aviation, a fixed-base operator (FBO) at General William J. Fox Airfield (WJF), Lancaster, California. According to an FBO representative, the airplane fuel tanks were filled and then the airplane was flown about 1.4 hours before its pickup by the accident pilot. The airplane was not refueled after that flight or after the flight to TSP.
A flight instructor employed by the FBO said the pilot had reserved the airplane for a few hours that afternoon. About 1522, the instructor was asked to pull the airplane from a hangar. The pilot met the instructor for the first time and said he planned to fly to Rosamond then maybe north for a little while. About 1535, the pilot began his preflight inspection, started the engine about 1545, and took off from runway 6 about 1555. The instructor noted nothing unusual. The pilot's route or any intermediate landings could not be determined.
Surveillance imagery at TSP captured the airplane taxi into the transient parking area about 1628. The pilot secured the airplane, ate at a nearby restaurant, returned about 1738, started the engine about 1749, and taxied. A set of lights presumed to be the accident airplane departed from TSP runway 29 about 1755. The imagery depicted the airplane maneuvering in a manner consistent with a right traffic pattern after takeoff, followed by a rapid descent.
Multiple witnesses saw or heard the descent and/or impact and called 911. A ground search with a law enforcement helicopter searchlight located the wreckage in a ranch pasture just north of TSP. A handheld Garmin GPS II Plus device was recovered but damaged beyond data recovery.
Personnel Information
FAA records indicated the pilot held a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating. He had logged about 152 total flight hours, including about 12 hours of night experience. His most recent flight review was completed in August 2017. On October 8, 2017, he flew solo in the accident airplane from WJF to TSP and back at night, conducting three night landings.
Aircraft Information
FAA information indicated the airplane was manufactured in 1977 and registered to the current owner in November 2011. The two-place, high-wing airplane was equipped with a Lycoming O-235 series engine. Maintenance records showed a total time in service of about 11,168 hours and an engine time since major overhaul of about 2,795 hours. The most recent annual inspection was completed in April 2017, and the most recent 100-hour inspection was completed in September 2017.
According to the airplane manufacturer's performance data, typical minimum flight endurance, not including a 45-minute reserve, is about 3 hours. Calculations accounting for estimated flight time since last refueling indicated the airplane likely had at least 1 hour and 45 minutes' worth of fuel on board at the time of the accident.
Meteorological Information
The 1755 TSP automated weather observation included winds from 320° at 3 knots, visibility 10 miles, clear skies, temperature 7°C, dew point 0°C, and an altimeter setting of 30.13 inches of mercury. Local sunset occurred at 1646, and civil twilight ended at 1713. The moon was a waxing crescent with 2% illumination; moonset occurred at 1802.
Wreckage and Impact Examination
The initial impact point was about 350 feet west-northwest of and offset about 2,050 feet north-northwest of runway 11 threshold. Terrain was hard-packed dry earth with grass and shrubs. All components were accounted for; no evidence of in-flight fire or structural failure was observed.
Ground scars were consistent with impact in a nose- and right-wing-low attitude. The right wingtip strike began the ground scar. A ground scar consistent with the right main landing gear was about 20 feet beyond. Scars from nose gear or propeller contact began about 10 feet farther. The wreckage tumbled and slid before coming to rest about 250 feet from initial impact on a bearing of 138° true. A debris field between included the propeller, engine accessories, and fuselage fragments. High-density items like the battery came to rest beyond the main wreckage.
Both wings exhibited full-span aft-direction crush damage along leading edges. Both lift struts remained attached to wings but separated from fuselage. Both wings retained fuel tank caps. Flaps were fully retracted; ailerons and empennage control surfaces remained attached. Control continuity was established from ailerons, elevators, trim tab, and rudder to the fuselage break in the cockpit.
The cockpit was torn open; windshield fragmented; both doors fracture-separated. Flap handle was in Up/Retract position. Elevator trim indicator and wheel impact damaged; trim actuator indicated 5° tab trailing edge up. Control lock stowed in right seat back pocket.
Primer, throttle, and mixture controls were full forward; cables continuous to carburetor. Carburetor heat control not identified. Fuel selector in ON position. Master switch and circuit breakers absent from receptacles. Ignition switch in OFF position with key installed and bent left.
The engine remained partially attached; sustained impact damage in aft and up directions. No abnormal oil streaking. Vacuum pump intact. Top spark plugs normal. Crankshaft rotated freely; thumb compressions obtained. Mechanical continuity established. Combustion chambers normal via borescope; no oil residue in exhaust. Metal contamination in oil.
Gascolator screen and wing tank strainers had no visible contaminants. Engine compartment fuel line secure; fitting at carburetor inlet fracture-separated consistent with overload. Carburetor undamaged. Reliable mixture and throttle positions at impact could not be determined. Fuel bowl free of contaminants; float assembly secure. Carburetor fuel inlet screen contained loosely packed material consistent with lint, occupying about 50% of screen volume. Material submitted to NTSB Materials Laboratory identified as cellulose (natural plant fibers like cotton), foreign to fuel system but not determined when or how introduced.
Left magneto produced spark; right magneto fracture-separated and impact damaged. Propeller fracture-separated from crankshaft flange; blades showed leading edge gouging, torsional twisting, chordwise striations, and trailing edge S-bending, consistent with significant rotational energy at impact.
Additional Information
TSP surveillance camera imagery captured the airplane's arrival, pilot activities, taxi, and departure. Night conditions reduced the airplane to a set of lights. Taxi speed ranged 11-14 knots. Pilot spent 3-4 minutes near approach end of runway 29 before takeoff. Average takeoff roll speed about 54 knots; climb speed about 81 knots. Airplane maneuvered in right crosswind and downwind legs, then descended rapidly over about 7 seconds, disappearing from view. No flashes consistent with explosion or post-impact fire. Image quality precluded determination of attitude, altitude, or specific heading.
Medical and Pathological Information
The Kern County Sheriff-Coroner's Office autopsy report indicated cause of death as blunt injuries, with no signs of natural disease. FAA medical records showed the pilot had failed color vision tests on four applications; his most recent third-class medical certificate was issued in April 2016. Toxicology testing was negative for carbon monoxide and ethanol. Ranitidine was detected in urine and blood; the FAA has no limitations on its use by pilots.