North American AT-6C accident near Mojave, California, December 7, 2006
On December 7, 2006 at about 6:49 pm local time, a North American AT-6C, registered N9525C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mojave, California (Mojave 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 adequate clearance from a sign while performing a low altitude maneuver.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 7, 2006 · about 6:49 pm local time
- Place
- Mojave, California · Mojave · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American AT-6C · all AT-6Cs on the register
- Registration
- N9525C · registry record · serial 88-12407
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The aircraft collided with an obstacle during an intentional low altitude pass at an airport. During a mock bombing run at an erected target/sign, which was off to the side of runway 30, the pilot descended too low, and the right wing impacted the sign. The pilot heard a "thump," and realized that he had struck the sign. He then circled around and landed on runway 08. The pilot stated that the airplane and engine had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the 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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 948 hours in all; 725 in this make and model; 49 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 883 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,909 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VNY Van Nuys CA at 6:10 pm
- Destination: MHV Mojave CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 9,502 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.29 inHg
- Observation at 6:47 pm from MHV
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX07CA053.