Cessna 152 accident near Castaic, California, August 15, 1989
On August 15, 1989 at about 5:35 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N152DM, was destroyed in an accident near Castaic, California. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT TO ADEQUATELY SUPERVISE THE CONDUCT OF THE FLIGHT, FAILURE OF THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT TO ENSURE ADEQUATE TERRAIN CLEARANCE PRIOR TO INITIATING THE MANEUVER, AND FAILURE OF THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT TO TAKE TIMELY AND PROPER AND PROPER CORRECTIVE ACTIONS ONCE THE SITUATION WAS FULLY DEVELOPED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 15, 1989 · about 5:35 pm local time
- Place
- Castaic, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N152DM · registry record · serial 15279847
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BASED ON THE CFI'S STATEMENT, HE WAS INTRODUCING THE 5 HOUR DUAL PRIMARY STUDENT TO ENGINE FAILURE EMERGENCY PROCEDURES. THE CFI SELECTED A PORTION OF THE PRACTICE AREA THAT IS MOUNTAINOUS, WITH RIDGE ELEVATIONS OF ABOUT 3,000 FT MSL, TO BEGIN THE MANEUVER. HE SAID THAT HE REDUCED THE POWER TO IDLE TO SIMULATE AN ENGINE FAILURE AND THE STUDENT RAISED THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT RAPIDLY AND SUDDENLY TO BEYOND THE STALL ATTITUDE. THE CFI SAID HE TOOK OVER AT THAT POINT, APPLIED POWER AND PUSHED THE NOSE OVER TO EFFECT A RECOVERY. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN DURING THE RECOVERY AS IT WAS ACHIEVING A CLIMB ATTITUDE.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,024 hours in all; 787 in this make and model; 267 in the last 90 days; 92 in the last 30 days; 743 as pilot in command; 603 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,517 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 26, 1989; 96 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Southland Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: WHP Pacoima CA at 4:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:46 pm from BUR, 29 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.