Ryan NAVION A accident near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, February 23, 1992
On February 23, 1992 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Ryan NAVION A, registered N39JH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (Hopcus Farms airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PROPELLER HYDRAULIC CONTROL PITCH SETTING BEING INCORRECT FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO IDENTIFY AND CORRECT THE PITCH SETTING AS THE PROPELLER WENT TO A HIGHER SETTING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 23, 1992 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma · Hopcus Farms · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ryan NAVION A · all NAVION As on the register
- Registration
- N39JH · registry record · serial NAV-4-1985
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE LIFTED OFF THE 1,800 FOOT SOFT SOD RUNWAY AFTER AN 800 FOOT GROUND ROLL AND AS THE AIRPLANE PASSED OVER THE FENCE, HE NOTICED THE CLIMB DETERIORATING. A SCAN OF THE INSTRUMENTS INDICATED THE TACHOMETER INDICATING 2,100 RPM VERSUS THE 2,500 RPM THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN NORMAL FOR TAKEOFF. THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENTLY CROSSED A RIVER AND IMPACTED THE OPPOSITE BANK. TWO OF THE PASSENGERS STATED THAT THEY THOUGHT THE PILOT HAD USED MOST OF THE RUNWAY DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL. POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. TEAR DOWN OF THE PROPELLER INDICATED THAT THE BLADES WERE AT A PITCH SETTING OF ABOUT 20.5 DEGREES INSTEAD OF THE 12.5 DEGREES PITCH WHICH WAS NORMAL FOR TAKEOFF AND CLIMB. NO EXPLANATION FOR THE HIGHER PITCH SETTING WAS FOUND DURING THE INVESTIGATION. A COMPUTER SIMULATION OF THE ACCIDENT SCENARIO INDICATED THAT THE BLADE ANGLE WOULD HAVE BEEN ABOUT 18.5 DEGREES FOR THE CONDITIONS AND POWER DESCRIBED BY THE PILOT.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 103 hours in all; 77 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 18 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,863 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 20, 1992; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E-185-9 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 1,800 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from TIK, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.