North American SNJ-6 accident near El Toro Mcas, California, April 27, 1985
On April 27, 1985 at about 5:38 pm local time, a North American SNJ-6, registered N2860G, was destroyed in an accident near El Toro Mcas, California (El Toro Mcas airport). 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
- April 27, 1985 · about 5:38 pm local time
- Place
- El Toro Mcas, California · El Toro Mcas
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American SNJ-6 · all SNJ-6s on the register
- Registration
- N2860G · no longer on the register · serial 112130
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT INITIATED A NORMAL TAKEOFF & CLIMB UNTIL THE ACFT WAS OVER THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RWY AT ABOUT 150 FT AGL WITH THE LANDING GEAR & FLAPS RETRACTED. THE ACFT THEN ROLLED RAPIDLY INTO A STEEP LEFT BANK, TURNED ABOUT 180 DEG & CLIMBED TO APRX 250 FT AGL. AS THE ACFT ROLLED TO A WINGS LEVEL ATTITUDE, THE NOSE WAS SLIGHTLY ABOVE THE HORIZON. THE ACFT REMAINED IN THAT POSITION MOMENTARILY, THEN QUICKLY ROLLED INTO A STEEP LEFT BANK. AFTER ABOUT ANOTHER 30 DEG OF HEADING CHANGE, THE ACFT ROLLED OVER-THE-TOP INTO A RIGHT SPIN. REPORTEDLY, THE SPIN WAS STOPPED AFTER ABOUT 3 TURNS, BUT BEFORE RECOVERY, THE ACFT STRUCK THE GROUND IN A NOSE DOWN, RIGHT WING DOWN ATTITUDE. AFTER INITIAL IMPACT, THE ACFT CONTINUED INTO A CHAPEL BUILDING & BURNED. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. THE PLT POSSESSED A WAIVER TO FLY WITH AN AMPUTATED LEG. THE ACFT WAS MODIFIED SO THAT HE HAD FULL CONTROL OF THE RUDDER WITH 1 LEG.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,042 hours in all; 498 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 849 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,257 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 1984; 57 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN-1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: NZJ at 5:38 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34L, 6,310 ft by 250 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 17 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:40 pm from NZJ
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.