Cessna 152 accident near Miramar, California, July 9, 1995
On July 9, 1995 at about 10:00 am local time, a Cessna 152, registered N757JP, was destroyed in an accident near Miramar, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALTITUDE (OR CLEARANCE) ABOVE THE TERRAIN, WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PERFORM VFR FLIGHT IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC). FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS AND THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 9, 1995 · about 10:00 am local time
- Place
- Miramar, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N757JP · no longer on the register · serial 79779
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS A MEMBER OF A FLYING CLUB, WHICH OPERATED ON AN HONOR SYSTEM, WHERE ALL CLUB MEMBERS HAD ACCESS TO THE CLUB'S AIRCRAFT. DURING EARLY MORNING HOURS, THE PILOT SELF-DISPATCHED AN AIRPLANE THAT HE HAD NOT SCHEDULED. THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER WAS CLOSED AT THE TIME OF THE AIRPLANE'S DEPARTURE, AND THE EXACT TAKEOFF TIME WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE AIRPLANE'S WRECKAGE WAS FOUND BY FIREFIGHTERS, WHO WERE DISPATCHED TO FIGHT A BRUSH FIRE THAT WAS REPORTED AT 0417 HOURS. THE WEATHER CONDITION INCLUDED A 300-FOOT BROKEN CEILING WITH 1.5 STATUTE MILE VISIBILITY RESTRICTED BY FOG. DURING TOXICOLOGY TESTS, ETHANOL WAS DETECTED IN BRAIN TISSUE AND URINE, BUT SAMPLES WERE REPORTED TO BE UNSUITABLE FOR ANALYSIS. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION FOUND WITH THE AIRPLANE.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 200 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,600 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 21, 1995; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Flyers, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: MYR San Diego CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 1.5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:52 am from NKX, 2 miles away
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.