N5272H

On October 17, 2004, at 1245 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 152, N5272H, collided with trees and a power pole after executing an aborted landing at Whiteman Airport (WHP), Pacoima, California. Sun Quest, Inc., operated the airplane as an instructional flight under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local area instructional flight, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight departed Whiteman about 1200.

The National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge interviewed the student pilot. The student pilot stated that the purpose of the flight was to conduct touch-and-go takeoffs and landings. The first time around the pattern, instead of conducting a touch-and-go landing, he came to a full stop to fix a loose screw on the cowling. He tightened the screw, got back into the airplane, and continued with the flight. On the second time around, he had to extend the downwind leg for traffic. The approach was too high, and the airplane landed hard and bounced. The control yoke was pulled from his grasp into a forward position, which surprised him. The airplane bounced again, and he lost control of the airplane. He executed an aborted landing. The student pilot stated that the airplane was not climbing out, and was not in straight-and-level configuration; the left wing was low. He saw the trees prior to hitting them. The left wing then hit power lines and a power pole. The airplane pivoted around the power pole and the airplane came to rest inverted in an open field. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical anomalies noted with the airplane.

In the student pilot's written statement to the Safety Board, during the aborted landing he advanced the throttle for full power. He also raised all of the flaps rather than partially raising them. The airplane started to climb, but was unable to clear the trees.