NTSB CAROL · Event
Event LAX88FA006
Registry · N604P
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
ZENITH ZODIAC 601 XL
Engine
JABIRU 3300 (120 hp)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
20071216
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A7D760
Registrant of record
DECARLO DANIEL J
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Factual narrative
THE CAPTAIN SENSED THE AIRCRAFT BALLOONING DURING THE FLARE. HE INCREASED THE PITCH ANGLE TO 11.8 DEGREES TO ARREST THE DESCENT DURING TOUCHDOWN. FLIGHT ATTENDANTS SITTING IN THE AFT CABIN CREW SEATS HEARD A SCRAPING SOUND JUST PRIOR TO MAIN LANDING GEAR TOUCHDOWN. THE TAIL STRUCK THE RUNWAY SURFACE DURING THE FLARE. THE AFT PRESSURE DOME WAS SCRAPED, BENT, AND BUCKLED. THE CAPTAIN ATTRIBUTED THE BALLOONING TO WAKE TURBULENCE OF A PRECEEDING DC-8 ARRIVAL. ACCORDING TO THE MANUFACTURER 11.0 DEGREES IS THE MAXIMUM PITCH ANGLE WITH THE OLEOS COMPRESSED. THE FDR READOUT DID NOT INDICATE THE PRESENCE OF WAKE TURBULENCE. THE CAPTAIN HAD RECENTLY BEEN TYPE-RATED IN THE BOEING 767 AND HAD ACCRUED A TOTAL OF 46 HOURS IN THE AIRCRAFT, 4.5 HOURS OF WHICH WAS ON THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_1987_LAX88FA006.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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Related research
What the literature says.
Academic papers and agency reports matching this event's aircraft type or causal vocabulary (wake turbulence, turbulence). Sourced from NASA NTRS, NTSB Safety Studies, FAA CAMI, AOPA Air Safety Institute, Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons, arXiv, and the Semantic Scholar academic graph.
- NASA NTRS 2019 · Conference Paper
Aircraft wake turbulence minimization by aerodynamic means
The paper reviews NASA's efforts on wake vortex turbulence minimization by aerodynamic design or retrofit modifications to large transport aircraft.
- NASA NTRS 2019 · Conference Paper
Wake Turbulence Mitigation for Arrivals (WTMA)
The preliminary Wake Turbulence Mitigation for Arrivals (WTMA) concept of operations is described in this paper. The WTMA concept provides further detail to work initiated by the Wake Vortex Avoidance…
- NASA NTRS 2019 · Conference Paper
Aircraft wake turbulence avoidance
Aircraft wake turbulence /trailing vortex systems/ avoidance during flight, describing procedures for pilots and tower operators
- NASA NTRS 2019 · Conference Paper
Aircraft wake turbulence progress and plans
Aircraft wake turbulence and trailing vortices, investigating physical characteristics, hazard potential and avoidance techniques
- SKYbrary (Eurocontrol) 2023 · SKYbrary article
Wake Vortex Turbulence — SKYbrary Knowledge Base
SKYbrary wake vortex turbulence comprehensive article — generation mechanics, dissipation factors, separation standards (ICAO LIGHT/MEDIUM/HEAVY/SUPER + recategorisation RECAT-EU).
- NASA NTRS 2019 · Contractor Report (CR)
An Examination of Aviation Accidents Associated with Turbulence, Wind Shear and Thunderstorm
The focal point of the study reported here was the definition and examination of turbulence, wind shear and thunderstorm in relation to aviation accidents.
Browse the full corpus — academia portal ↗