Cessna 152 accident near San Diego, California, January 11, 2004
On January 11, 2004 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N67844, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Diego, California (Montgomery Field Airport). It was a personal 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 misjudgment of clearance from the vehicle while taxiing. A factor in the accident was the pilot's diverted attention.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 11, 2004 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- San Diego, California · Montgomery Field Airport · 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
- N67844 · registry record · serial 15282053
- 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 a fuel truck while taxing to parking. While taxiing on the ramp area, between rows of parked airplanes, the pilot noticed a parked fuel truck ahead of her on the left side. After deciding she had adequate clearance between the airplane and the fuel truck, she continued taxiing and momentarily glanced down at the airplane's checklist. She stated that she "incorrectly judged" the distance between the airplane and fuel truck, and the airplane struck the fuel truck with the outboard section of the left wing. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures 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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 110 hours in all; 110 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MYF San Diego CA
- Destination: MYF San Diego CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.