Cessna 152 accident near San Carlos, California, July 28, 1993
On July 28, 1993 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N69208, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Carlos, California (San Carlos 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
THE CFI'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF THE FLIGHT, THE IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM THE BOUNCED LANDING BY THE CREW, AND THE LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN GIVING DUAL INSTRUCTION BY THE CFI. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THIS ACCIDENT WERE: THE DUAL STUDENT'S IMPROPER USE OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS, THE CFI'S FAILURE TO ISSUE PROCEDURES/DIRECTIVES TO THE STUDENT, AND THE CFI'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 28, 1993 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- San Carlos, California · San Carlos · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N69208 · no longer on the register · serial 82556
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE LANDING PHASE OF A TRAINING FLIGHT, THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO SINK RAPIDLY. THE STUDENT PILOT PUSHED FORWARD ON THE ELEVATOR WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING. DURING THE RECOVERY FROM THE BOUNCED LANDING THE CFI TOOK THE CONTROLS TO CUSHION THE NEXT LANDING. THE CFI SAID SHE DID NOT TELL THE STUDENT SHE HAD THE CONTROLS, THUS IN THE CONFUSION, THE STUDENT PILOT ADDED POWER AND INITIATED A GO-AROUND. THE CFI CONCURRED BUT THE AIRPLANE WAS STILL BOUNCING, AND THE LEFT MAIN WHEEL WAS OFF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE FAILED TO BECOME AIRBORNE DUE TO THE FLAPS STILL BEING SET AT 30 DEGREES. THE CFI THEN DECIDED TO ABORT THE GO-AROUND. THE CFI SAID SHE NOTICED THE FLAP SETTING ABOUT 1/2 WAY DOWN THE RUNWAY. THE CFI ADDED FULL BRAKES AND THE AIRPLANE LEFT THE RUNWAY AND NOSED OVER IN A DITCH. THE CFI HAD 65 TOTAL HOURS OF FLIGHT INSTRUCTION EXPERIENCE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 450 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 89 in the last 90 days; 39 in the last 30 days; 386 as pilot in command; 65 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,773 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 6, 1993; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,675 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Palo Alto Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: PAO Palo Alto CA at 4:20 pm
- Destination: SQL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 2,600 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,700 ft; not recorded at 1,700 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:34 pm from SQL, 1 miles away
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.
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.