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LAX92LA070

1991-12-25 · HAPPY CAMP, California, United States · Fatal · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport 36S

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

THE EXCESSIVE NATURE OF THE MANEUVERS ATTEMPTED BY THE PILOT AT A LOW ALTITUDE DURING THE TAKEOFF INITIAL CLIMB, THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN PROPER PITCH ATTITUDE AND AIRSPEED TO AVOID AN AERODYNAMIC STALL, AND INADEQUATE ALTITUDE TO PERFROM NECESSARY REMEDIAL ACTIONS TO PREVENT A COLLISION WITH THE TERRAIN.

Factual narrative

ACCORDING TO PILOT WITNESSES LOCATED ON THE GROUND AT THE AIRPORT, THE AIRPLANE LIFTED OFF IN THE FIRST 1/3 OF THE RUNWAY DURING THE TAKEOFF SEQUENCE. AT AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 200 FEET, THE AIRPLANE TURNED 90 DEGREES WITH A 90 DEGREE ANGLE OF BANK. THE AIRPLANE MADE A SECOND 90 DEGREE TURN TO A DOWNWIND WITH A 90 DEGREE ANGLE OF BANK AT AN ALTITUDE OF 300 FEET. THE WITNESSES STATED THAT '...DURING THE TURN THE AIRCRAFT STALLED, YAWED TO THE RIGHT AND THEN LEFT BEFORE IT HIT THE GROUND.' THE WITNESSES SAID THE ENGINE WAS 'RUNNING FINE' DURING THE ENTIRE ACCIDENT SEQUENCE UNTIL GROUND IMPACT. NO PREIMPACT MALFUNCTIONS OF THE FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM WERE IDENTIFIED BY FAA INSPECTORS. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1991_LAX92LA070.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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