Grumman AA-5B accident near Corona, California, December 20, 1984
On December 20, 1984 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Grumman AA-5B, registered N74463, was destroyed in an accident near Corona, California (Corona Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. 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 20, 1984 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Corona, California · Corona Municipal
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman AA-5B
- Registration
- N74463 · no longer on the register · serial AA5B-0236
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING MAINT OF THE ENG, & JUST BEFORE THE ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS SIGNED OFF, SOMEONE PARTIALLY LOOSENED & THEN ATTEMPTED TO TIGHTEN THE BOLT SECURING THE CRANKSHAFT GEAR TO THE CRANKSHAFT. THE OLD LOCKPLATE WAS NOT REPLACED & WAS NOT PROPERLY SECURED ABOUT THE BOLT. AS A RESULT OF A LOOSE BOLT THE DOWEL PIN, ALIGNING THE GEAR WITH THE CRANKSHAFT, THE GEAR SHIFTED POSITION & THE ENGINE STOPPED. THE PLT FAILED TO LOWER THE WING FLAPS, & STRUCK A DIRT DITCH SHORT OF HIS INTENDED EMERG LANDING SITE.
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: 419 hours in all; 166 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 317 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,252 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 1984; 58 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L66 Corona CA at 7:29 pm
- Destination: FUL Fullerton CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 3,200 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 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 7:45 pm from CNO, 6 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.