NTSB CAROL · Event
Event LAX90FA332
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IFR (INSTRUMENT) PROCEDURE, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN THE MINIMUM DESCENT ALTITUDE (MDA) FOR THE APPROACH. THE ADVERSE WEATHER WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Factual narrative
THE FLT WAS CLRD FOR A LOC RWY 11 APCH. ABOUT 3 MIN LATER, THE 2ND-IN-COMMAND (SIC) RPRTD ' . . . WE DON'T GET THE LOCALIZER CAN YOU SEE IF WE'RE ON COURSE.' THE LAX ARTCC R-15 CTLR CONFIRMED THE FLT WAS RGT OF COURSE & BELOW THE RQRD ALT. THE ACFT'S MODE C INDCD AN ALT OF 1400 FT; THE CTLR ADZD THE FLT CREW TO MAINT AT LEAST 2300 FT UNTIL PAST THE FINAL APPROACH FIX (FAF). THE CREW THEN REPLIED THAT THEY WERE IN VMC. RADAR SVC WAS TERMINATED & A FREQ CHANGE TO TOWER WAS APPROVED. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE ACFT HIT A EUCALYPTUS TREE AT ABT 90 FT AGL, 2.05 MI FM THE APCH END OF THE RWY & ABT 195 FT RGT OF THE LOC. ELEV OF THE CRASH SITE WAS 101 FT; MIN DSCNT ALT (MDA) FOR THE APCH WAS 640 FT. THE 0645 PDT WX WAS, IN PART: INDEFINITE CEILING, 100 FT OBSCURED, VIS 1/8 MI WITH FOG, WIND FROM 220 DEG AT 4 KTS. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT WAS FOUND. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_1990_LAX90FA332.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. Sourced from NASA NTRS, NTSB Safety Studies, FAA CAMI, AOPA Air Safety Institute, Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons, arXiv, and the Semantic Scholar academic graph.
- NTSB Aircraft Accident Reports 2016 · Accident report
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- arXiv 2025 · arXiv preprint
Comparing the dynamics of idealized squall lines between NWP and LES models
Both Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) models and Large-Eddy Simulation (LES) models are used to simulate convective systems, such as squall lines, but with different purposes.
- arXiv 2025 · arXiv preprint
Toward Safe Integration of UAM in Terminal Airspace: UAM Route Feasibility Assessment using Probabilistic Aircraft Trajectory Prediction
Integrating Urban Air Mobility (UAM) into airspace managed by Air Traffic Control (ATC) poses significant challenges, particularly in congested terminal environments.
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2025 · Journal article (IJAAA)
Consumer Preferences and Willingness to Pay for Vertiport Design, Amenities, and Services
The rise of urban air mobility (UAM) and electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft necessitates the development of well-designed vertiports that align with consumer expectations.
- arXiv 2024 · arXiv preprint
Regional Air Mobility Flight Demand Modeling in Tennessee State
Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), encompassing Urban Air Mobility (UAM) and Regional Air Mobility (RAM), offers innovative solutions to mitigate the issues related to ground transportation like traffic con…
- arXiv 2024 · arXiv preprint
Energy Optimal Traversal Between Hover Waypoints for Lift+Cruise Electric Powered Aircraft
Advanced Air Mobility aircraft require energy efficient flight plans to be economically viable. This paper defines minimum energy direct trajectories between waypoints for Lift+Cruise electric Vertica…
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