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Atlas / NTSB / LAX82DA146

NTSB CAROL · Event

Event LAX82DA146

1982-04-22 APPLE VALLEY, California, United States Airport · APV Fatal 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Aircraft involved

Factual narrative

WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT TO BE GLIDING ON FINAL APPROACH WITH THE ENGINE AT IDLE WHEN IT ABRUPTLY PITCHED NOSE DOWN AND STRUCK THE GROUND. THE ENGINE AND BOTH LEADING EDGES OF THE WINGS CONTACTED THE GROUND AT THE SAME TIME WITH NO TURNING MOVEMENT. INVESTIGATION DISCLOSED NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT FAILURE OF MALFUNCTION OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE ACCIDENT TOOK PLACE ABOUT 1/8 MILE FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS APPROXIMATELY 30 FT ABOVE GROUND LEVEL WHEN THE AIRCRAFT PITCHED NOSE DOWN. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1982_LAX82DA146.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.