NTSB CAROL · Event
Event LAX87FA096
Registry · N5138V
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
CESSNA 172S
Year of manufacture
2001
Engine
LYCOMING IO-360-L2A (180 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
20011206
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A67018
Registrant of record
ADVANCED CHARTER & INSTRUCTION LLC
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Factual narrative
DURING A LOCAL FLT, THE AIRPLANE WAS SEEN CIRCLING OVER A RIDGE FOUR TIMES. ON THE FIFTH PASS, THE AIRPLANE DISAPPEARED NORTHBOUND INTO THE CLOUDS. A WITNESS REPORTED THAT AT THE TIME THE MT TOPS WERE COVERED WITH FOG AND THAT BLIZZARD CONDITIONS EXISTED. DURING THE ON SCENE INVESTIGATION, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE AIRPLANE'S LEFT WING STRUCK A TREE. THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO TRAVEL 300 TO 400 YARDS BEFORE COMING TO REST ON THE FAR SIDE OF A DEEP RAVINE. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST ANY PRE-IMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE AIRPLANE. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_1987_LAX87FA096.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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