Cessna 152 accident near Sacramento, California, May 8, 2002
On May 8, 2002 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N67975, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sacramento, California (Sacramento Executive airport). 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
Failure of the pilot to ensure the seat was set properly prior to engine start, and not using the parking brake when adjustment of seat was necessary, which resulted in the inadvertent deactivation of the brakes and subsequent collision with the fuel trucks.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 8, 2002 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Sacramento, California · Sacramento Executive · 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
- N67975 · no longer on the register · serial L-12810-15
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane collided with two parked fuel trucks while taxiing for takeoff. The pilot stated that she started the airplane after fueling it and was holding the brakes. She felt like she needed to move her seat forward slightly and grabbed the dash with one hand while releasing the seat lock with the other. The seat then slid all the way back on the tracks and her feet were now off the pedals. The airplane began to move forward and she could not reach the pedals and her passenger, who had no prior flight experience, tried to push on the bottoms of the pedals instead of the tops to activate the brakes. Before the pilot could take further remedial actions, the airplane taxied into two parked fuel trucks.
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
Co-pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 85 hours in all; 85 in this make and model; 85 in the last 90 days; 85 in the last 30 days; 12 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 25, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,888 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 5, 2002; 78 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KSAC Sacramento CA at 9:15 pm
- Destination: Sacramento CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from KSAC
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.