Cessna 152 accident near El Cajon, California, September 17, 2002
On September 17, 2002 at about 10:39 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N5100B, was substantially damaged in an accident near El Cajon, California (Gillespie Field). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's misjudged landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 17, 2002 · about 10:39 pm local time
- Place
- El Cajon, California · Gillespie Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N5100B · registry record · serial 15283742
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane touched down hard in a nose low attitude buckling the firewall and collapsing the nose gear assembly. The pilot said the accident occurred while he was attempting to land at the conclusion of his practice flight and that he "flared too high," and then the airplane's nose dropped. The airplane contacted the runway and bounced several times before coming to rest. No preimpact mechanical problems were experienced with the airplane.
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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 57 hours in all; 57 in this make and model; 57 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 3 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,203 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 10, 2002; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Anglo American Aviation, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: SEE El Cajon CA at 10:45 pm
- Destination: SEE El Cajon CA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 27L, 2,737 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.80 inHg
- Observation at 10:39 am from KSEE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.