NTSB Factual Report

On June 20, 2014, about 1430 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 152 airplane, N4606L, sustained substantial damage during takeoff initial climb, while departing Agua Dulce Airport (L70), Agua Dulce, California. The airplane was registered to FLITESERV LLC., Long Beach, California, and operated by the pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal cross-country flight under 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and both the private pilot and pilot-rated passenger received serious injuries. The flight departed Long Beach Airport (KLGB), Long Beach, California, about 1245.

During a telephone interview with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on June 26, the owner of the airplane said that the pilot and passenger were both pilot rated students of a CFR Part 141 flight school, working on advanced ratings. The pilot had rented the airplane to make a cross-country flight. When queried about their destination, the pilot reported Agua Dulce Airport. The owner explained that Agua Dulce Airport did not meet the distance requirement for the advanced rating, and suggested that they overfly Agua Dulce Airport, and continue to General William J Fox Field (KWJF), Lancaster, California, which would meet the distance requirement.

On June 20, the pilot was interviewed by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) air safety inspector following the accident. The pilot reported that he had elected to land at the Agua Dulce Airport, and depart on runway 04. The FAA Airport Facility Directory indicates that runway 04 has a 1.9% uphill slope. The terrain off the end of runway 04 is rising.

During the takeoff roll, the pilot said he didn't think the airplane was accelerating fast enough, and he pulled the power to abort the takeoff. At that point, he said the pilot-rated passenger took the controls, applied full power, and continued the takeoff. The airplane was climbing slowly, but the stall warning horn was sounding, and he thought the pilot-rated passenger was going to stall the airplane. He said he resumed control, and pushed the nose of the airplane down to increase the airspeed. The main landing gear contacted high-voltage power lines crossing their path, and the airplane descended impacting the terrain.

No preimpact mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane were reported.