Travel Air 4000 accident near San Miguel, California, July 16, 1984
On July 16, 1984 at about 1:45 am local time, a Travel Air 4000, registered N8719, was destroyed in an accident near San Miguel, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 16, 1984 · about 1:45 am local time
- Place
- San Miguel, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Travel Air 4000 · all 4000s on the register
- Registration
- N8719 · registry record · serial 1003
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
GROUND WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THIS & ANOTHER ACFT WERE ENGAGED IN A MOCK 'DOGFIGHT'; BOTH ACFT WERE CIRCLING THE ACCIDENT AREA BETWEEN 500-800 FT AGL & NEITHER ACFT WAS NEGOTIATING ANY AEROBATIC MANEUVERS. THE PLT STATED THAT DURING A DESCENDING 30 DEG RIGHT BANKING TURN, THE ACFT ENTERED INTO A RIGHT SPIN. CONTROL INPUTS, INCLUDING 'AFT STICK PRESSURE,' COULD NOT ARREST THE SPIN. THE PLT HAD NOT RECEIVED ANY SPIN/SPIN RECOVERY INSTRUCTION FROM A CFI IN THE ACFT. HOWEVER, THE PLT'S FATHER STATED HE HAD GIVEN THE PLT SPIN/SPIN RECOVERY INSTRUCTION.
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: 146 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 88 in the last 90 days; 58 in the last 30 days; 92 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,491 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 11, 1984; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental W-670-6N (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PRB Paso Robles CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds; scat
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:51 am from PRB, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 LAX84FA396.