Cessna 152 accident near Taft, California, January 30, 2000
On January 30, 2000 at about 11:58 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N25573, was substantially damaged in an accident near Taft, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's misinterpretation of his VOR navigation indicator, which subsequently led to his becoming lost and disoriented while navigating to an alternate airport and resulted in fuel exhaustion. The pilot's failure to obtain either a preflight weather briefing or in-flight weather advisories was a factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 30, 2000 · about 11:58 pm local time
- Place
- Taft, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N25573 · registry record · serial 15280739
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot became disoriented after encountering clouds near his destination airport and ran out of fuel while he was in the process of finding a place to land. The aircraft then nosed over after encountering soft soil during the forced landing. The pilot stated that he did not obtain a preflight weather briefing or in-flight weather advisories. The pilot said another pilot in the departure airport terminal obtained a weather briefing and told him the weather was good for now but that conditions would get worse around Los Angeles later in the day. Following departure, the flight was uneventful until he reached the high desert area north of his destination and he found that the coastal mountains between the high desert and his destination were obscured by clouds. He then decided to proceed to a VOR close to his destination in the hopes that the airport would be open. Upon reaching the VOR, the pilot could not find a clear route and elected to return to the high desert area and land at an airport there. He stated that after dialing in the VOR radial to take him to the alternate he became confused over the "TO/FROM" indicator and ended up flying in the wrong direction. When he realized where he was, he believed he did not have enough fuel to fly back over the mountains and was looking for an airport when he ran out of fuel. Review of NWS data disclosed that AIRMET Sierra was in effect at the time of the pilot's departure. The forecast called for occasional ceilings below 1,000 feet and visibility's below 3 miles in the coastal areas. Mountain obscuration in clouds, precipitation, and fog was also predicted for the coastal mountain ranges. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions with the airframe or engine. The pilot obtained his private pilot certificate 10 days prior to the accident.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 131 hours in all; 131 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days; 46 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,489 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 30, 1997; 64 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Group 3 Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: IFP Bullhead City AZ at 8:30 pm
- Destination: VNY Van Nuys CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,100 ft; scat at 3,300 ft
- Temperature: 126°F (52°C), dew point 122°F (50°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.