North American 0-47B accident near Porterville, California, June 12, 1982
On June 12, 1982 at about 1:20 am local time, a North American 0-47B, registered N4725V, was destroyed in an accident near Porterville, California (Porterville airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 12, 1982 · about 1:20 am local time
- Place
- Porterville, California · Porterville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American 0-47B
- Registration
- N4725V · registry record · serial 25554
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING ARRIVAL FOR LANDING, THE PILOT WAS LEADING A FLIGHT OF FIVE DISSIMILAR AIRCRAFT. AFTER PITCHING OUT IN A 360 DEGREE, OVERHEAD APPROACH, THE PILOT FLEW A FAIRLY TIGHT PATTERN. ON BASE, WHEN HE WOULD NORMALLY HAVE FELT THE GEAR LOCK IN PLACE, HIS ATTENTION WAS DIVERTED AS ANOTHER AIRCRAFT PASSED BENEATH HIS NOSE. THE LANDING GEAR INDICATOR WAS AN EARLY MODEL THAT WAS DIFFICULT TO READ. ALSO, IT WAS LOCATED AT THE BOTTOM OF A PANEL WHERE IT WAS HARD TO SEE. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE CHECKED THE POSITION OF THE GEAR HANDLE SEVERAL TIMES AS WELL AS THE HYDRAULIC PRESSURE. AS HE FLARED FOR LANDING, HE STARTED TO GO-AROUND WHEN THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED LOWER THAN NORMAL. THE PROPELLER HIT THE SURFACE AS HE SETTLED WITH THE GEAR RETRACTED. HE CLOSED THE THROTTLE AND MIXTURE AND SLID TO A STOP. THE FUEL SUMP DRAIN FOR THE MAIN TANK WAS LOCATED AT THE LOWEST PART OF THE FUSELAGE. WHILE SLIDING TO A STOP, THE DRAIN GROUND OFF AND A FIRE STARTED. NO FIRE EQUIPMENT WAS READILY AVAILABLE.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,315 hours in all; 52 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 3,750 as pilot in command; 450 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,000 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,312 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Wright R-1820G-2 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: CNO Chino CA at 5:03 pm
- Destination: FLG Flagstaff AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 6,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 265° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 176°F (80°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.