North American T28B accident near Apple Valley, California, July 11, 2004
On July 11, 2004 at about 11:00 pm local time, a North American T28B, registered N5832X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Apple Valley, California (Apple Valley 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 failure to maintain an adequate airspeed during the conclusion of a low pass, which led to a stall/mush.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 11, 2004 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Apple Valley, California · Apple Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American T28B · all T28Bs on the register
- Registration
- N5832X · registry record · serial 51-5335
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane collided with the terrain following an in-flight loss of control. The pilot completed a series of high speed low altitude passes down runway 26. He was executing another pass, but this time, he was flying at a low speed in a nose high attitude with the gear down and flaps set to 10 degrees. The pilot said that as he neared the end of the runway he initiated a climb by increasing the nose pitch attitude, then adding power; however, the airplane descended to the ground. According to witnesses, as the pilot approached the departure end of the runway in a slow flight attitude the nose of the airplane continued to pitch up. The aircraft continued to fly for a short time in a near stall attitude. The engine rpm increased about 3 seconds prior to impact. The airplane impacted the ground with the main wheels, the nose wheel sheared off, and the airplane came to rest on its nose with the tail up in the air. The pilot said there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,300 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: January 1, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,700 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 2004
- Maximum gross weight: 8,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Curtis Wright R1820-86B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: APV Apple Valley CA at 10:00 pm
- Destination: APV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 4,099 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 106°F (41°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.81 inHg
- Observation at 10:54 pm from DAG, 26 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.