Cessna 152 accident near Avalon, California, August 25, 1991
On August 25, 1991 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N320SV, was destroyed in an accident near Avalon, California. 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
A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS AND SUBSEQUENT DITCHING WHILE FLYING OVER THE OCEAN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 25, 1991 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Avalon, California · 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
- N320SV · no longer on the register · serial 15282336
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF A CESSNA 152 EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AT 2,500 FEET MSL WHILE ENROUTE TO AVALON, CALIFORNIA. THE PILOT DITCHED IN THE OCEAN AND THE AIRPLANE SANK IN DEEP WATER AND WAS NOT RECOVERED. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HIS ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE ENGINE WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THE AIRPLANE WAS REFUELED WITH 10 GALLONS OF AVIATION FUEL ABOUT TWO WEEKS BEFORE AND WAS AIRBORNE ABOUT 15 MINUTES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,690 hours in all; 2,050 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 7,120 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,778 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 15, 1990; 97 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: LGB Long Beach CA at 9:30 pm
- Destination: AVX Santa Catalina CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 10 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°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.