Beech A36 accident near Hawthorne, California, April 30, 1983
On April 30, 1983 at about 5:38 pm local time, a Beech A36, registered N7036G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hawthorne, California (Hawthorne airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- April 30, 1983 · about 5:38 pm local time
- Place
- Hawthorne, California · Hawthorne · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N7036G · no longer on the register · serial D1542
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AS THE ACFT WAS CLIMBING THRU ABOUT 400 TO 500 FT AGL, AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ENG BEGAN LOSING POWER. THE PLT TURNED ON THE FUEL BOOST PUMP & STARTED A TURN BACK TOWARD THE ARPT. WHEN HE REALIZED THAT HE COULD NOT REACH THE RWY, HE ELECTED TO LAND ON A STREET. DURING THE APCH, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TELEPHONE LINES, THEN CRASH LANDED IN THE STREET. BEFORE COMING TO REST, THE LEFT WING OF THE ACFT STRUCK A VEHICLE. DURING AN INVESTIGATION, APRX 1 PINT OF WATER & OTHER CONTAMINANTS WERE DRAINED FROM THE LEFT WING FUEL TANK. THE RIGHT WING TANK CONTAINED MINOR FOREIGN CONTAMINANTS. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS FOUND POSITIONED TO THE RIGHT MAIN WING TANK & ITS SCREEN CONTAINED EXTENSIVE FOREIGN CONTAMINANTS. THE ENG DRIVEN FUEL PUMP INLET LINE, CARBURETOR INLET LINE, & CARBURETOR FILTER SCREEN CONTAINED WATER & OTHER FOREIGN CONTAMINANTS. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT CORROSION PARTICLES HAD COLLECTED IN EXCESS OF A YEAR & THAT THE FUEL STRAINER & VALVE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED FOR OVER A YEAR.
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; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 612 hours in all; 315 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 14 as pilot in command; 2 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,527 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 11, 1982; 43 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E-225-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:40 am from HHR, 1 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.