Goodyear GZ-20A accident near Gardena, California, December 4, 2003
On December 4, 2003 at about 5:30 am local time, a Goodyear GZ-20A (airship), registered N10A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gardena, California. It was an aerial observation flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's delayed go-around during final approach to land, which resulted in an in-flight collision with a fence. A factor associated with the accident is the pilot's failure to maintain adequate altitude/clearance from obstructions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 4, 2003 · about 5:30 am local time
- Place
- Gardena, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Goodyear GZ-20A
- Registration
- N10A · registry record · serial 4117
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of an airship was attempting to land with the assistance of his ground crew. The pilot acknowledged that the airship was "very light" during the attempted landing, and he had made and aborted two previous landing attempts. On the third and final landing approach, the forward ballonet was "loaded" to facilitate the ground crew's reaching the airship's bowlines. Approaching the landing site, the pilot used a combination of engine power, reverse power, and elevator control to maneuver. During this procedure the ground crew attempted to pull the nose of the airship down in order to add ballast to the airship. However, during this process the ground crew's position gave way as engine power was increased by the pilot in an effort at lowering the nose of the airship. The ground crew followed the airship as it moved away from the chosen landing site area. Eventually, as the available clearance between the airship and obstacles on the ground decreased, the ground crew directed the pilot to abort the attempted landing. The pilot stated that he attempted to abort the landing, and "tried to allow for the [light] static condition of the ship" to increase its altitude, but "nothing happened...." The airship continued to move forward until it impacted a fence and a lumber pile. At the time, the local wind speed and direction was reported as being light and variable.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: airship
- Flight time: 3,700 hours in all; 270 in this make and model; 130 in the last 90 days; 37 in the last 30 days; 3,370 as pilot in command; 1,620 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 22, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 18,181 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 25, 2003; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 13,442 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-360D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 64CL Gardena CA at 1:48 am
- Destination: 64CL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 4:56 am from LGB, 7 miles away
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.