Cessna 152 accident near Apple Valley, California, March 8, 1993
On March 8, 1993 at about 1:35 am local time, a Cessna 152, registered N48860, was destroyed in an accident near Apple Valley, California. It was a personal 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
THE PILOT INADVERTENTLY STALLED THE AIRPLANE NEAR THE GROUND. THE INTENTIONAL BUZZING, OVER CONFIDENCE IN HIS PERSONAL ABILITY, AND POOR INFLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION WERE FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 8, 1993 · about 1:35 am local time
- Place
- Apple Valley, California · map
- 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
- N48860 · no longer on the register · serial 15281008
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT RENTED THE AIRPLANE DURING THE AFTERNOON FOR A PERSONAL FLIGHT WITH HIS DAUGHTER. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, HE WAS SEEN FLYING OVER HIS APARTMENT COMPLEX, CIRCLING AT LEAST TEN TIMES. ANOTHER PILOT STATED THAT A FRIEND OF HIS TOLD HIM THAT THE PILOT HAD FLOWN OVER HER VEHICLE THE AFTERNOON OF THE ACCIDENT AND HE WAS 'YANKING AND BANKING' AT LOW LEVELS DOING STALLS. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED WITH THE GROUND AND THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN AN INVERTED POSITION. THE AIRPLANE WAS SIGHTED THE NEXT MORNING BY ANOTHER AIRPLANE. SEARCH AND RESCUE PERSONNEL RESCUED THE SURVIVOR THE NEXT MORNING. THE PILOT HAD A HISTORY OF PERFORMING LOW LEVEL MANUEVERS.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 349 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 200 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 2, 1993; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Midfield Aviation
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 090° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 am from DAG, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.