Cessna 152 accident near Pacoima, California, October 17, 2004
On October 17, 2004 at about 7:45 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N5272H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pacoima, California (Whiteman Airport). 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 distance/altitude and inadequate flare that resulted in a hard landing, and a porpoise down the runway. Also causal was the student pilot's improper bounced landing recovery technique.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 17, 2004 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Pacoima, California · Whiteman 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
- N5272H · no longer on the register · serial 152-84077
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane impacted trees and a pole during an attempted aborted landing following a hard touchdown. The student pilot said he had to extend his downwind and as a result, the approach was high. The airplane landed hard, bounced, and started to porpoise down the runway. The pilot advanced the throttle and raised all of the flaps at once to abort the landing. Once the airplane became airborne it failed to climb above obstacles at the end of the runway and struck trees, a power pole, and power lines. The airplane impacted the ground in a nose down attitude. The student pilot stated that there were no mechanical anomalies noted 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: 106 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 4 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,528 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2004; 40 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: WHP Pacoima CA at 8:00 pm
- Destination: WHP Pacoima CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 4,120 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,400 ft; scat at 4,200 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 7:31 pm from VNY, 5 miles away
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.