North American AT 6D accident near Chino, California, August 10, 2019
On August 10, 2019 at about 7:54 pm local time, a 1979 North American AT 6D, registered N6432D, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Chino, California (Chino airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a bounced landing, and his subsequent exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 10, 2019 · about 7:54 pm local time
- Place
- Chino, California · Chino · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American AT 6D 5, built 1979 · all AT 6Ds on the register
- Registration
- N6432D · registry record · serial 88-18171
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, during his ninth touch-and-go landing and shortly after touchdown, the airplane bounced. He wanted to apply partial power and continue to land, but he heard the safety pilot declare, "I have," so the pilot responded, "you have," and gave the controls to the safety pilot. The safety pilot reported that, during landing, the left main landing gear touched down on the runway first, followed by the right main landing gear, and the airplane "popped up" with a nose-high attitude. The airplane started to climb, continued to pitch higher, and rolled right, so he took the controls, applied power, and lowered the nose, but the right wingtip struck the ground, and the airplane impacted terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mount and truss. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing defining event
- Abnormal runway contact during landing
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,618 hours in all; 34 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 2,257 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 9, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot-Rated Passenger
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,600 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 210 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 5,500 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 29, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,227.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 7, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R1340 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Kaa Corp
The flight
- Departed from: CNO Chino CA at 6:00 pm
- Destination: CNO Chino CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26L, 7,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from KCNO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on January 17, 2020. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Accident Photo | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Safety Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.