Javelin Aircraft WICHAWK accident near Camarillo, California, January 4, 1983
On January 4, 1983 at about 11:50 pm local time, a Javelin Aircraft WICHAWK, registered N6940, was destroyed in an accident near Camarillo, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. 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
- January 4, 1983 · about 11:50 pm local time
- Place
- Camarillo, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Javelin Aircraft WICHAWK
- Registration
- N6940 · registry record · serial 30
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT IMPACTED THE GROUND 15 DEGREES NOSE DOWN 70 DEGREE LEFT BANK WHILE PERFORMING LOW LEVEL AEROBATICS. WITNESSES HAD OBSERVED THE ACFT PERFORMING LOW ALTITUDE AEROBATIC MANEUVERS IN THE AREA OF THE ACCIDENT. THE ACFT WAS LAST SEEN DESCENDING AT A NEAR VERTICAL ANGLE FROM AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 600 TO 700 FEET AGL AND CRASH INTO SOFT, LEVEL CULTIVATED GROUND. THERE WAS A POST CRASH FIRE AND BOTH OCCUPANTS WERE FATALLY INJURED. BOTH OCCUPANTS WERE WEARING PARACHUTES.
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: 299 hours in all; 294 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 275 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, December 30, 1982; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: SZP Santa Paula CA at 11:30 pm
- Destination: VNY Van Nuys CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.