Cessna C-152 accident near Palo Alto, California, September 1, 1991
On September 1, 1991 at about 3:38 pm local time, a Cessna C-152, registered N89022, was substantially damaged in an accident near Palo Alto, California (Palo Alto airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING BY THE STUDENT PILOT AND THE DELAYED REMEDIAL ACTION OF THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE STUDENT PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN THE PROPER DESCENT RATE WHICH RESULTED IN A BOUNCED LANDING AND THE CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR PILOT'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISION DURING THE LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 1, 1991 · about 3:38 pm local time
- Place
- Palo Alto, California · Palo Alto · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna C-152
- Registration
- N89022 · no longer on the register · serial 82599
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT LANDED HARD AND BOUNCED THE AIRPLANE BACK INTO THE AIR ABOUT 20 FEET. THE INSTRUCTOR TOOK OVER THE CONTROLS BUT WAS UNABLE TO GAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE BEFORE IT STALLED AND STRUCK THE RUNWAY WITH THE LEFT WING AND TAIL. THE AIRPLANE THEN DEPARTED THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, STRIKING A RUNWAY LIGHT. THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS WITH THE AIRPLANE 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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,062 hours in all; 1,450 in this make and model; 179 in the last 90 days; 65 in the last 30 days; 1,923 as pilot in command; 1,403 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,163 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 27, 1991; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-N2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SQL San Carlos CA at 3:20 pm
- Destination: PAO Palo Alto CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 3, 2,500 ft by 65 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 900 ft; clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N89022 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.