N89059

HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn February 8, 2013 about 0930 mountain standard time, after the Cessna 152, N89059, airplane was established on a right downwind leg for runway 6R at Ryan Field (RYN), Tucson, Arizona, radio and visual contact was lost by the air traffic control tower (ATCT) controller. The airplane, which impacted terrain about 1.5 miles southwest of RYN, was substantially damaged, and the private pilot received fatal injuries. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) flight plan was filed for the flight.

The 75-year-old pilot rented the airplane from Arizona Aero-Tech (AAT), located at Tucson International Airport (TUS), Tucson, with the stated intent of practicing landings and takeoffs at RYN. RYN was located about 11 miles west of TUS. Although the airplane reportedly had sufficient fuel for the flight, the pilot decided to have the fuel tanks filled; a total of 15.2 gallons were added before the flight. The pilot was observed to sump the tanks both before and after the airplane was fueled. He was also observed to seat himself in, and start the airplane from, the right seat.

The airplane departed from TUS runway 11R about 0923, and was approved for an early turnout on-course. FAA ATC tracking radar data showed that the airplane flew towards RYN from TUS, at a maximum indicated altitude of 4,300 feet. The pilot contacted the RYN ATCT and, as instructed, entered a right downwind leg for runway 6R. Visual and radio contact was then lost by the controller. Shortly thereafter, the controller noticed a dust cloud rising from the ground about 1.5 miles southwest of the airport.

Multiple motorists on Ajo Highway, an east-west thoroughfare that passed just south of RYN, witnessed the airplane's final descent and resulting impact dust cloud. The first motorists on scene cut the pilot's seat belt, and extracted him from the cockpit, while others summoned emergency services. The first Pima County Sheriff Office (PCSO) officer arrived on scene about 0940, shortly after the motorists had extracted the pilot. Attempts by PCSO personnel and paramedics to resuscitate the pilot were unsuccessful. In a telephone conversation shortly after the accident, an NTSB investigator guided the first responder personnel in safing the airplane by shutting its systems and equipment off.

Three inspectors from the Scottsdale Flight Standards District Office (SDL FSDO) arrived on scene about 1130. Representatives of the NTSB and Cessna Aircraft examined the wreckage in situ the day after the accident. The airplane was recovered by Air Transport of Phoenix, AZ later that same day, and examined by representatives of the NTSB, FAA, and Cessna on February 11, 2013. PERSONNEL INFORMATIONFAA records indicated that the pilot held a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating. According to the pilot's flight logbook, as of February 2, 2013, he had accumulated a total flight experience of about 302 hours. His most recent flight review was completed on June 29, 2012, with a certificated flight instructor (CFI) and airplane from AAT. AIRCRAFT INFORMATIONFAA information indicated that the airplane was manufactured in 1979, and was equipped with a Lycoming O-235 series engine. The airplane was registered to the president and owner of AAT. According to AAT records the airframe and engine had a total time in service of about 8,037 hours, and the engine had a total time since overhaul of about 3,038 hours. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATIONAWOS Data Capture

An automated weather observation sensor and radio transmitter known as AWOS (automated weather observation system) was installed and operating at RYN. The system operated continuously, sensing/updating conditions, and then providing that information to the ATCT and also broadcasting the observations on a radio frequency accessible by aircraft communications radios. The AWOS was commissioned by the FAA, but it was not maintained or controlled by the FAA.

In addition, hourly or more frequent observation sets of AWOS data were to be provided to the US National Airspace System (NAS) for distribution and archiving purposes as METARs (Meteorological Aviation Reports). The methods for providing AWOS data to the NAS were automated datalink, manual transmission/entry, or a combination of the two as a function of the time of day. RYN used this combination approach, where the automated datalink was used overnight, and the ATCT controllers captured and sent the data manually during their normal operating hours. However, controller air traffic management workload sometimes prevented the controllers from capturing and entering the data for the NAS archiving. Subsequent but unrelated to the accident, the RYN ATCT implemented a continuous automated data-capture and archiving system.

RYN AWOS/METAR Information

Review of archived RYN METAR data for day of the accident revealed that the AWOS data was not captured every hour. The only recorded weather observations for RYN near the time of the accident were for times of 0754 and 1051. Review of archived RYN AWOS/METAR data for the several days surrounding the accident revealed that the AWOS/METAR data for those days also had gaps in the temporal coverage.

The 0754 RYN automated weather observation included winds from 110 degrees at 5 knots, visibility 10 miles, clear skies, temperature 8 degrees C, dew point minus 1 degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 29.92 inches of mercury.

Review of the recorded radio transmissions from the ATCT to the flight revealed that when the RYN ATCT controller cleared the flight for its first touch and go, he advised the pilot that the wind was calm.

TUS METAR Information

The 0953 automated weather observation at TUS, which was located about 12 miles east of the accident site, included winds from 070 degrees at 5 knots, visibility 10 miles, clear skies, temperature 15 degrees C, dew point minus 3 degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 29.94 inches of mercury. AIRPORT INFORMATIONFAA information indicated that the airplane was manufactured in 1979, and was equipped with a Lycoming O-235 series engine. The airplane was registered to the president and owner of AAT. According to AAT records the airframe and engine had a total time in service of about 8,037 hours, and the engine had a total time since overhaul of about 3,038 hours. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATIONThe accident site was located about 200 feet south of Ajo Highway, which passed just south of RYN. The main wreckage path was about 200 feet long, and oriented along a magnetic heading of about 240 degrees. The airplane came to rest inverted, with the nose oriented about 090 degrees magnetic.

The underside of the nose was crushed. The aft fuselage was deflected about 90 degrees airplane left, and almost fully fracture-separated from the cabin. The empennage was essentially intact, and remained attached to the aft fuselage. The right wing was fracture-separated at its aft fuselage attach point, and the left wing remained attached to the fuselage. Both wings exhibited some leading edge crush damage. There was no post-impact fire. No oil stains or puddles were observed on any of the exterior surfaces of the engine or airplane, interior surfaces of the engine compartment, or on the ground below the airplane.

With the exception of a small segment of the outboard end of the left aileron, all flight control surfaces remained attached to their respective airfoils. The aileron segment was found in the debris path between the initial impact point and the main wreckage. The two cockpit yokes remained linked to one another, and flight control continuity from the cockpit controls to all respective flight control surfaces was established. The flap actuator extension corresponded to a flap setting of about 20 degrees. The pitch trim actuator extension corresponded to a trim setting of neutral. The transponder was found set to a code of 0707.

The fuel selector valve was found between the ON and OFF positions, but its position was consistent with the airplane impact deformation.

The left seat belt assembly was partially buckled and uncut. The right shoulder harness was engaged in its lap belt receptacle, and the outboard lap belt was cut, consistent with eyewitness reports that they found the pilot in the right seat.

The engine remained attached to its mount, which remained attached to the fuselage. Continuity from the cockpit controls to the respective engine components was established. The engine did not exhibit any catastrophic failures of the case, cylinders, valve train, or intake or exhaust systems. All accessories remained attached to the engine. Manual rotation of the engine yielded thumb compressions on all cylinders, and the vacuum pump drive shaft was observed to rotate.

The propeller was separated from the engine. Both ends of the propeller were bent aft at about 12 inches inboard from the tip, and bore some chordwise scoring.

Both fuel tanks were intact, but both caps had been liberated by the impact, and were recovered on scene. Fuel stains were observed under the wreckage when it was lifted for recovery, and approximately 3 cups of fuel drained from the left wing when it was placed on the recovery trailer.

Neither the on-scene nor the follow-up examination revealed any mechanical conditions, abnormalities, or failures that would have precluded continued engine operation and normal flight.

Refer to the accident docket for additional details. ADDITIONAL INFORMATIONRadar Data

Review of ATC radar tracking data revealed that the antenna sweep and data interval rate was 5 seconds. About 0934, the airplane entered a right downwind leg for runway 6R, at an indicated altitude of 3,200 feet. About 0935:28, the airplane passed abeam of the 6R threshold, at an indicated altitude of 3,000 feet. About 5 seconds later,...