Amateur-built RV-6A accident near Hawthorne, California, July 28, 2001
On July 28, 2001 at about 1:51 am local time, a amateur-built RV-6A, registered N131LH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hawthorne, California (Jack Northrop Field). 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 failure to maintain control of his airplane during the landing flare.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 28, 2001 · about 1:51 am local time
- Place
- Hawthorne, California · Jack Northrop Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV-6A
- Registration
- N131LH · registry record · serial 20781
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Upon arriving at the destination airport, the pilot elected to land long on runway 25 in order to be closer to the airplane's hangar. According to the pilot, during landing flare a windshear or gust was encountered. Although he attempted to take corrective action, he lost control of his airplane, it impacted the runway hard, and a wing broke. No gusts were reported by the airport facility that indicated the local wind was from 250 degrees at 7 knots. The pilot had arrived at the destination airport after flying over 643 nautical miles on a nonstop flight.
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, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,427 hours in all; 1,150 in this make and model; 136 in the last 90 days; 49 in the last 30 days; 9,090 as pilot in command; 7,222 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 8, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 847 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 5, 2000; 59 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ALS Alamosa CO at 6:30 pm
- Destination: HHR Hawthorne CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 4,956 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 am from HHR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.