Lockheed L-382G accident near Travis Afb, California, April 9, 1987
On April 9, 1987, a Lockheed L-382G, registered N517SJ, was destroyed in an accident near Travis Afb, California (Travis Afb airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 5 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 9, 1987
- Place
- Travis Afb, California · Travis Afb · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 5 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Lockheed L-382G
- Registration
- N517SJ · registry record · serial 4558
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
CRASHED IN STEEP LEFT TURN DRG GO-AROUND AFTER BALKED LANDING. INSTRUCTOR TOOK CONTROLS AND INITIATED GO-AROUND AFTER STUDENT LNDD IN IMPROPER ATTITUDE. ENGINES NUMBER 1 & 2 FAILED TO RESPOND WHEN THROTTLES ADVANCED. BOTH ENGINES DECELERATED. AIRSPEED DECREASED DURING GO-AROUND. FLAPS WERE RETRACTED CAUSING REDUCTION IN HYD PRESSURE. INSTRUCTOR UNABLE TO MAINTAIN VMC SPEED, LOST CONTROL. ACFT DESTROYED BY POSTCRASH FIRE. AIRFIELD PERIMETER FENCE DMGD. TEARDOWN AND TESTING REVEALED HEAVY ACCUMULATION OF OIL/TAR RESIDUES ON BLEED VALVES AND THROUGHOUT ENGINES NUMBER 1 & 2 COMPRESSORS, LIMITING ABILITY OF ENGINES TO RESPOND TO THROTTLE MOVEMENT. HISTORY OF RECENT ENGINE AND PROPELLER OIL LEAKS. NO RECORD OF ENGINE WASHES AFTER LEAKS, ALTHOUGH REQUIRED BY MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, SEE SUMMARY REPORT NTSB/AAR-88/03/SUM.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,600 hours in all; 8,000 in this make and model; 99 in the last 90 days; 34 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 17,027 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, April 8, 1987; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 155,000 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Allison 501-D22A (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Southern Air Transport
The flight
- Departed from: SUC at 9:45 pm
- Destination: SUU
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 21L, 10,995 ft by 300 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 5 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.