Cessna 152 accident near El Cajon, California, April 1, 2008
On April 1, 2008 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N64938, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) 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 student pilot's inadequate compensation for gusty, crosswind conditions, and failure to maintain an adequate airspeed.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 1, 2008 · about 10:00 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
- N64938 · no longer on the register · serial 15281486
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student was on a solo flight to practice touch-and-go landings. He said he made six successful landings, but noticed that the winds were increasing. On the seventh approach, the winds were variable and started to gust. The student said that he maintained 55 knots as he came over the approach end of the runway. The airplane suddenly drifted to the left side of the runway. He used ailerons, and corrected to the centerline. The airplane touched down hard, and bounced. After the airplane came to rest, he saw smoke and fire, and evacuated from 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
What happened, in order
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Not specified
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Not specified
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Crosswind correction › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 27 hours in all; 27 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 1, 2008
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: SEE El Cajkon CA at 9:00 pm
- Destination: SEE El Cajkon CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27L, 2,738 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; a few clouds at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 10:49 pm from KSEE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.