N89022

On April 8, 1993, at about 1618 hours Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 152, N89022, experienced a loss of control during the landing roll on runway 30 at San Carlos Airport, San Carlos, California. The pilots were conducting a visual flight rules instructional flight. The airplane, operated by Palo Alto Flying Club, Palo Alto, California, sustained substantial damage. Neither the certificated airline transport pilot/flight instructor (CFI) nor the noncertificated student pilot was injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated at Palo Alto Airport (PAO), Palo Alto, California, at 1611 hours.

Ms. Cynthia Jesch, aviation safety inspector, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), San Jose [California] Flight Standards District Office, reported that the flight was landing on runway 30 at PAO, during gusting wind conditions. During the landing roll the aircraft exited the left side of the runway and its horizontal stabilizer struck a sign.

The CFI reported in the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1/2, that the student pilot made a normal landing. On the landing roll-out, the local controller asked the flight where it was going to park. The CFI requested to taxi back for takeoff and was going to remain in the traffic pattern.

Moments later, the airplane veered to the left and the CFI admonished the student to "watch your braking." The CFI indicated that the airplane "felt like he [the student] applied uneven braking application with excessive braking of the left brake." The CFI then stated that "...when it was clear that the student lost control [of the airplane] I took over and three (3) seconds later we were at a standstill on the taxiway. Unfortunately, in the interim, we had struck a runway sign with the right stabilizer..."