N64845

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On April 6, 1997, at 1528 hours Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 152, N64845, operated by Fallon Airmotive, Inc., collided with upsloping mountainous terrain approximately 3.76 nautical miles (nm) east-southeast (116 degrees magnetic) from the Lake Tahoe Airport, South Lake Tahoe, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the solo instructional flight. The student pilot had filed a visual flight rules flight plan, but it was not activated. The airplane was found destroyed and the student pilot was fatally injured. The round robin flight originated from Fallon, Nevada, about 1255.

The pilot's certified flight instructor (CFI) provided a written statement to the National Transportation Safety Board indicating that he had personally reviewed his student's flight planning and had authorized the cross-country flight.

The pilot's flight plan form (as found in the airplane wreckage along with the corresponding sectional aeronautical chart) indicated a round robin flight with his first landing at the uncontrolled Gansner Field (201), Quincy, California. Thereafter, he planned to proceed to the controlled Lake Tahoe Airport (TVL). At Lake Tahoe the pilot planned to perform three takeoffs and landings. Then, he planned to fly to and land at the uncontrolled Hawthorne Municipal Airport (HTH), Hawthorne, Nevada, before returning to the uncontrolled Fallon Municipal Airport (FLX).

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) did not report receiving any communications with the airplane during its en route cruise flight. The FAA coordinator reported that the airplane was observed landing at the Gasner Field, and thereafter the airplane departed the area. The first recorded radio communications with the airplane occurred as it approached Lake Tahoe for landing. At 1502, the pilot was issued a clearance to land on runway 18.

Thereafter, the pilot indicated to the controllers that he desired to perform additional takeoffs and landings. The pilot taxied back to runway 18, and at 1506, was issued a takeoff clearance. The airplane departed but remained in the traffic pattern.

At 1509, the pilot was again cleared to land. The pilot landed and taxied back for another takeoff. At 1514, the pilot was cleared for his second takeoff.

At 1516, the pilot was cleared to land, again on runway 18. After landing he taxied back for takeoff, and the Lake Tahoe controller directed the pilot to taxi into position on runway 18 and hold. The pilot acknowledged the clearance.

At 1523:16, the controller issued the following clearance to the pilot: "Cleared for takeoff left or right downwind departure approved." Seven seconds later, at 1523:23, the pilot stated ". . .roger thanks for your help." This was the last recorded voice communication from the pilot.

The controllers described the traffic conditions as light, and did not report observing anything unusual as the airplane took off for the third time and departed the area. The controllers did not recall the airplane's direction of flight. About 4:29 minutes later, at 1527:52, the brief transmission of an emergency locator transmitter (ELT) signal was recorded in the control tower.

PERSONNEL AND TRAINING INFORMATION

Pilot-in-Command

Based upon entries contained in the pilot's flight training logbook, the pilot commenced primary flight training at Fallon on May 16, 1996. After receiving 20.1 hours of dual flight instruction, the pilot accomplished his first solo flight on July 22. The flight was performed in a Cessna 172. About 2 weeks later, on August 7, the pilot soloed in a Cessna 152. This flight, and the remainder of all the pilot's flights, were performed in the same Cessna 152, N64845.

Regarding cross-country flight training, the pilot's first dual cross-country flight was performed on August 27, during which he flew between Fallon and the Douglas County Airport (MEV), Minden, Nevada. The pilot's next cross-country flight occurred on September 17, and was flown between Fallon and Hawthorne. The pilot's final dual cross-country flight was performed on October 14, 1996, and was flown to Douglas and Hawthorne from Fallon.

Thereafter, between October 17 and November 27, the pilot performed a series of four solo cross-country flights with landings authorized by his CFI in Nevada at Fallon, Douglas, Hawthorne, and the Dixie Valley airports (elevation 3,963, 4,718, 4,215, and 3,443 feet mean sea level (msl), respectively). The CFI authorized landings in California at the Herlong and Bishop airports (elevation 4,055 and 4,120 feet msl, respectively).

A further review of the pilot's logbook and flight records indicates that the last four flights prior to the accident consisted of a dual lesson on January 7, 1997, and solo flights on January 21, February 6, and March 17. All flight instruction was provided by the same CFI. The CFI endorsed the student pilot's certificate for the fifth time on January 7, which was 89 days prior to the accident flight.

On April 4, 1997, the CFI wrote in his student's pilot logbook that he had reviewed the student's preflight planning, and he was prepared to make a solo cross-country flight from Fallon to the following airports: 201, TVL, and HTH (Gasner, Lake Tahoe, and Hawthorne, respectively.)

The Safety Board found no evidence indicating that the student had previously landed at Lake Tahoe, or that the CFI had provided his student with dual flight instruction regarding departure and climb out procedures from Lake Tahoe, a high density altitude airport partly surrounded by higher mountainous terrain.

Certified Flight Instructor

The FAA reported that the pilot's CFI holds a commercial pilot certificate with airplane single engine land, multiengine land, and instrument airplane ratings. The multiengine land rating is limited to flight only under visual flight rules (VFR).

On June 2, 1997, the CFI reported to the FAA that his total flight time was 7,000 hours. He had flown 400 hours during the previous 6 months.

The CFI's instructor certificate was originally issued in November 1985. On the accident date the CFI was privileged to instruct in single engine land airplanes and instruments.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The airplane last received an annual inspection on October 23, 1996, at an airframe total time of 5,877 hours, and an engine total time of 990.5 hours. At the accident site the recording tachometer was found registering 5,979.7 hours, about 102.7 hours since its last inspection. No outstanding maintenance discrepancies were found in the maintenance records or logbooks.

Weight and balance records found in the airplane indicated that on December 6, 1990, the airplane's empty weight was revised. Its new empty weight was listed as 1,149.3 pounds, and the new useful load was 520.7 pounds.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

At 1447, Lake Tahoe reported its surface wind was from 180 degrees at 10 knots, and the temperature was 50 degrees Fahrenheit. About 1521, controllers reported that the wind was from 230 degrees at 5 knots, and the altimeter was 30.06 inHg. At 1547, Lake Tahoe reported its surface wind was from 220 degrees at 5 knots, and the temperature was 46 degrees Fahrenheit. The Safety Board estimated that the density altitude was approximately 6,700 feet.

AIRPORT INFORMATION

The following remarks are written for Lake Tahoe, elevation 6,264 feet msl, in the government publication entitled "Airport/Facility Directory Southwest U.S.:"

"Normal dep Rwy 18 is a wide left downwind dep, left crosswind turn should not be made until reaching the south arpt boundary and 7500'. If sufficient altitude is not reached after tkf for crosswind turn to a downwind departure with safety approximately 1.5 miles south is a golf course where you may circle to gain altitude; advise twr of intentions ... TPA--7500."

Upon request, the Lake Tahoe airport director provides pilots with free information sheets containing an airport diagram and text which describes departure procedures. In pertinent part, pilots departing using runway 18 are requested not to turn left (eastbound) until reaching 7,500 feet msl. No evidence was found indicating that the pilot had received this information sheet.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The main wreckage was located on United States Forest Service land known as the Tahoe Basin Management Unit, about 38 degrees 51.14 minutes north latitude, by 119 degrees 56.10 minutes west longitude. The terrain elevation is approximately 7,840 feet msl. Within 2 miles south through northeast of the accident site, the mountain elevation increases from approximately 8,800 to over 9,800 feet msl.

Based upon the on-scene examination of the accident site and airplane wreckage, the airplane was found to have initially collided with several estimated 90-foot-tall trees before coming to rest in an inverted attitude partially wrapped around an estimated 2.5-foot diameter tree trunk in the snow covered terrain. Numerous felled branches were observed surrounding the trees at the initial point of impact (IPI). Fragmented portions of the airplane's right wing tip and rudder were found suspended from branches 80 to 90 feet above ground level.

Additional portions of airplane structure were found along a magnetic track of 117 degrees and consisted of the severed outboard portion of the left wing and the right elevator with attached trim tab. The distance between the IPI and the main wreckage was approximately 170 feet.

The cockpit was found crushed, and the wings were observed broken from the fuselage structure. Both wing tanks were observed ruptured. The left wing was observed resting on its leading edge, and fuel was observed pooled inside. Slight evidence of chordwise abrasions were noted on the propeller's cambered surface.

All of the airplane's flight control surfaces were accounted for at the accident site, and all m...