NTSB LAX90LA169 — 1990-05-11 · EL MONTE, California, United States

N505GM has since been reassigned. It is now registered to a different aircraft (SWEARINGEN SA-226T, built 1977), which was not involved in this event.

Aircraft involved

N505GM Piper PA-30 Minor

Probable cause & findings

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO ADEQUATELY CONFIGURE THE AIRCRAFT FOR THE TAKEOFF PORTION OF A TOUCH AND GO.

Factual narrative

THE PILOT STATED HE WAS ON A LOCAL FAMILIARIZATION FLIGHT WITH A SWISS NATIONAL FRIEND, REPORTED TO BE A CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT. HE SAID HE PLANNED TO DO A TOUCH AND GO LANDING, BUT NEGLECTED TO RECONFIGURE THE AIRCRAFT AFTER LANDING FOR THE TAKEOFF PORTION. HE APPLIED FULL TAKEOFF POWER WITH FULL FLAPS DOWN AND MIXTURES LEANED. THE OWNER/PILOT WAS FLYING THE AIRCRAFT FROM THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT. THE AIRCRAFT BECAME AIRBORNE PREMATURELY AND STARTED TO ROLL TO THE RIGHT, HIS REACTION WAS TO RETRACT THE LANDING GEAR AND RETARD THE THROTTLES. AT ABOUT THAT TIME, THE RIGHT WING STRUCK THE RUNWAY AND STARTED THE CRASH SEQUENCE. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1990_LAX90LA169.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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