Cessna 152 accident near Long Beach, California, December 27, 1995
On December 27, 1995 at about 1:04 am local time, a Cessna 152, registered N53321, was substantially damaged in an accident near Long Beach, California. It was a personal 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
a partial power loss due to carburetor icing resulting from existing environmental conditions and the pilot's failure to apply carburetor heat during descent.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 27, 1995 · about 1:04 am local time
- Place
- Long Beach, California · 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
- N53321 · no longer on the register · serial 15283533
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While descending on an over water flight, engine rpm dropped to flight idle. After checking the mixture and fuel selector to no avail, the pilot ditched the aircraft. The icing probability graph showed the aircraft was in conditions conducive to carburetor icing. The carburetor heat control handle and valve were found in the off (cold) position.
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
- Flight time: 84 hours in all; 84 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 36 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,111 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 20, 1995; 291 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 at 11:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 30,000 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:10 am from LGB, 8 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.
Other NTSB records under N53321 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.