Lockheed L-1011-385-3 accident near Los Angeles, California, June 11, 1984
On June 11, 1984 at about 9:03 pm local time, a Lockheed L-1011-385-3, registered N501PA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Los Angeles, California (Los Angeles Int'L airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 157 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 11, 1984 · about 9:03 pm local time
- Place
- Los Angeles, California · Los Angeles Int'L · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 157 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Lockheed L-1011-385-3 L-1011-385
- Registration
- N501PA · registry record · serial 193Y-1176
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER THE AIRCREW MOVED THE GEAR HANDLE FROM 'UP' TO 'OFF', DURING INITIAL CLIMB, THEY HEARD A LOUD BANG IN THE NOSEWHEEL AREA. THEY RETURNED TO THE ARPT & LANDED AFTER DUMPING FUEL. AN EXAM REVEALED THAT BOTH LOWER ATTACH LUGS ON THE NOSE GEAR CRANK ASSEMBLY HAD FAILED & ALLOWED THE RETRACT ACTUATOR ARM TO PENETRATE THE WHEEL WELL BULKHEAD & CARGO COMPARTMENT FLOOR. A METALLURGICAL EXAM REVEALED THAT THE LEFT LUG HAD FAILED IN OVERLOAD AFTER FAILURE OF THE RIGHT LUG. THE FRACTURE SURFACE OF THE RIGHT LUG WAS TOO BADLY DAMAGED FOR AN EVALUATION; HOWEVER, SOME INTERGRANULAR CORROSION WAS NOTED IN THE REMAINING FRACTURE FACE.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 15,783 hours in all; 2,483 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,064 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme
- Maximum gross weight: 450,000 lb
- Seats: 249
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Rolls-Royce RB 211 (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LAX Los Angeles CA at 8:30 pm
- Destination: MIA Miami FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 25, 12,091 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 30,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from LAX, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 12 | |||
| Passengers | 145 |
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.