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LAX86LA340

1986-08-31 · SANTA PAULA, California, United States · Serious · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport SZP

Aircraft involved

Factual narrative

THE BIPLANE CRASHED IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AFTER A LOSS OF POWER. THE ACFT HAD BEEN DOING AEROBATIC MANEUVERS PRIOR TO THE ENGINE FAILURE. THE PLT INDICATED THAT THE ENGINE QUIT AT 7,500 FT MSL WHILE IN A DESCENT. SHE RELINQUISHED THE FLT CONTROLS TO THE FRONT SEAT CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PLT-PASSENGER WHILE SHE ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE RESTARTED BUT DID NOT REGAIN ENOUGH POWER TO PREVENT THE ACFT FROM COLLIDING WITH THE TERRAIN. THE FRONT SEAT PILOT WHO WAS CURRENT IN THE ACFT CONTINUED TO FLY UNTIL IMPACT. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1986_LAX86LA340.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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