Canadair T-33 accident near Palm Springs, California, September 30, 1984
On September 30, 1984 at about 6:59 pm local time, a Canadair T-33, registered N12422, was substantially damaged in an accident near Palm Springs, California (Palm Springs Muni airport). It was an aerial observation flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. 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
- September 30, 1984 · about 6:59 pm local time
- Place
- Palm Springs, California · Palm Springs Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Canadair T-33 · all T-33s on the register
- Registration
- N12422 · no longer on the register · serial 21341
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT 'AS I CROSSED OVER THE FIELD BOUNDRY, LANDING WAS ASSURED SO I CLOSED THE THROTTLE. THE ACFT THEN PITCHED NOSE UP (SLIGHTLY), LEFT WING DROPPED & ACFT SANK OUT OF CONTROL TO TOUCHDOWN ON THE OVERRUN JUST SHORT OF THE THRESHOLD.' THE ACFT ROLLED OFF THE LT SIDE OF RWY 30 & CAME TO REST WITH THE GEAR COLLAPSED. THE PLT REPORTED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE ACFT.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,014 hours in all; 42 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 4,751 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,597 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, June 30, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 16,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Rolls-Royce NENE-10 (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Chino Jet, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: PSP Palm Springs CA at 6:25 pm
- Destination: PSP Palm Springs CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 7,013 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 18,000 ft; not recorded at 18,000 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:45 pm from PSP
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 LAX84LA502.