Amateur-built AA-5A accident near Gorman, California, December 13, 1984
On December 13, 1984 at about 2:21 am local time, a amateur-built AA-5A, registered N26131, was destroyed in an accident near Gorman, 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
- December 13, 1984 · about 2:21 am local time
- Place
- Gorman, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AA-5A
- Registration
- N26131 · no longer on the register · serial 0448
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS ON A NIGHT X-COUNTRY FLT. WHEN THE ACFT DID NOT ARRIVE AT ITS DESTINATION, A SEARCH WAS INITIATED. ON 12/12/84, THE PLANE WAS FOUND WHERE IT HAD IMPACTED AN AREA OF RISING TERRAIN WHILE APPROACHING THE TEHACHAPI MOUNTAINS. IMPACT OCCURRED ON A RELATIVELY FLAT AREA AT AN ELEVATION OF 4250 FT WHILE THE ACFT WAS IN A WINGS LEVEL, TAIL LOW ATTITUDE & ON A HEADING OF 336 DEG. FROM 1/2 TO 2 MI WEST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE, THE TERRAIN ROSE RAPIDLY TO 6700 FT. THE AREA WINDS ALOFT AT 9000 & 12,000 FT WERE FORECAST TO BE FROM 333 DEG AT 45 KTS & 320 DEG AT 54 KTS, RESPECTIVELY. NO EVIDENCE OF A PREIMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE WAS FOUND.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,896 hours in all; 117 in this make and model; 56 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 1,572 as pilot in command; 126 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 509 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 12, 1984; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E26 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: YUM Yuma AZ at 11:05 pm
- Destination: NLC Lemoore Nas CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:00 am from WJF, 24 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.