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| Date: | Thursday 19 September 2019 |
| Time: | 12:02 |
| Type: |  Cessna 177 Cardinal |
| Owner/operator: | Sale Reported |
| Registration: | N2323Y |
| MSN: | 17700123 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1967 |
| Engine model: | Lycoming O-320-E2D |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near Torrance Airport (TOA/KTOA), Torrance, CA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Survey |
| Departure airport: | Torrance Airport, CA (TOA/KTOA) |
| Torrance Airport, CA (TOA/KTOA) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On September 19, 2019, about 1202 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 177 airplane, N2323Y, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Torrance, California. The commercial pilot was fatally injured, and the passenger was seriously injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 other work use flight.
The flight instructor and his passenger departed for a work flight that tested radar in an airplane that was near its maximum weight limit. Videos of the accident flight showed that the airplane took off from the runway, climbed out, appeared to level off for a few seconds, then entered a right bank turn. After about 90° of turn, the airplane banked sharply to the right and entered a steep nose-down descent. The airplane impacted a building about 3/4 mile east of the airport.
Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
A video of the accident flight and impact markings at the accident site were consistent with the airplane entering an aerodynamic stall then steeply descending to the ground. It is likely that the pilot failed to maintain airspeed during the turn, which resulted in an exceedance of the aircraft's critical angle of attack and an aerodynamic stall.
Toxicology testing of the pilot's specimens detected low concentrations of ethanol and diphenhydramine that generally would not be considered impairing.
Probable Cause: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed and exceedance of the aircraft's critical angle of attack while turning during climb out, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB WPR19FA262
https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100296
https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=2323Y
Location
Images:
Photo: NTSB
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 19-Sep-2019 20:48 | Geno | Added |
| 20-Sep-2019 02:40 | Geno | Updated [Registration, Cn, Operator, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 20-Sep-2019 03:00 | RobertMB | Updated [Location, Phase, Nature, Source, Damage, Narrative, ] |
| 20-Sep-2019 14:31 | harro | Updated [Aircraft type, ] |
| 20-Sep-2019 14:31 | harro | Updated [Aircraft type, ] |
| 02-Oct-2019 07:54 | Anon. | Updated [Source, ] |
| 01-Jul-2022 17:01 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Other fatalities, Nature, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report, ] |
| 16-Feb-2025 21:17 | Captain Adam | Updated [Time, Nature, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Photo, ] |
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