NTSB LAX87LA158 — 1987-03-27 · RIVERSIDE, California, United States

Aircraft involved

N26CK Thorp T-18 None

Factual narrative

WHILE ON A FLT TO PRACTICE AEROBATICS, THE PLT WAS FLYING AT 3500' WHEN HE FELT A COLD LIQUID ON HIS RGT LEG & NOTED THE ODOR OF FUEL IN THE COCKPIT. MOMENTS LATER, FLAMES ERUPTED IN THE COCKPIT. THE PLT BAILED OUT & THE AIRPLANE CRASHED ON THE SOUTHEAST SHORE OF LAKE MATHEWS. A POSTCRASH EXAM REVEALED MAJOR HEAT DAMAGE IN THE AREA NEAR THE PRIMER LINES. THE PLT RPRTD THAT THE PRIMER ASSEMBLY HAD LEAKED ON A PREVIOUS OCCASION. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1987_LAX87LA158.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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