Cessna 152 accident near Camarillo, California, June 11, 2006
On June 11, 2006 at about 11:05 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N452WC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Camarillo, California (Camarillo Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
a loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. A factor was the soft terrain encountered during the emergency landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 11, 2006 · about 11:05 pm local time
- Place
- Camarillo, California · Camarillo Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N452WC · no longer on the register · serial 15285286
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane experienced a loss of engine power and nosed over during a forced landing. The airplane departed with full fuel in both wing tanks. About 45 minutes into the training flight, the certified flight instructor (CFI) began a demonstration of a simulated emergency landing approach. The CFI configured the airplane for the maneuver, while the student read the engine troubleshooting checklist aloud. As part of the maneuver he pushed the throttle control knob forward every altitude loss of 500 feet in an attempt to temporarily increase revolutions per minute (rpm) and "clear" the throttle. The instructor said he had the carburetor heat control in the full on position during the entire maneuver and it ended up in the off position during the ground impact and nose over. While the airplane was about 1,500 feet msl and on the simulated base leg of a traffic pattern, the CFI pushed the throttle forward. The engine did not respond normally and sounded as though it was winding up. After several seconds, the engine quit and the propeller stopped. He attempted to restart the engine by using the engine troubleshooting checklist, but it failed to respond. The airplane touched down in a soft dirt field and nosed over, coming to rest inverted. Personnel that recovered the wreckage shortly after the accident stated that they found 15 to 20 gallons of fuel in the wing tanks and the carburetor heat control in the off position. The outside air and dew point temperatures around of the time of the accident were applied to an industry Carburetor Icing Probability Chart. Both recorded temperatures were within the "serious icing at glide power" portion of the chart. With the engine still mounted in the airframe, investigators ran the engine for several minutes at various rpm settings and noted no anomalies. No evidence was found of pre-accident mechanical malfunctions during the examination of the engine and airframe.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 760 hours in all; 80 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 33 in the last 30 days; 450 as pilot in command; 100 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 19 hours in all; 19 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,246.3 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2006; 20.9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,640 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CMA Camarillo CA at 10:15 pm
- Destination: CMA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,300 ft; clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.81 inHg
- Observation at 10:55 pm from CMA, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.