North American AT6A accident near Lemoore, California, May 5, 1985
On May 5, 1985 at about 7:45 pm local time, a North American AT6A, registered N144KM, was destroyed in an accident near Lemoore, California (Lemoore airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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
- May 5, 1985 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Lemoore, California · Lemoore · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American AT6A · all AT6As on the register
- Registration
- N144KM · registry record · serial 78-6394
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER DROPPING A PARACHUTIST TO OPEN AN AIR SHOW THE PLT'S TAKEOFF WAS DELAYED BY A BLOWN TIRE ON A LANDING AIRPLANE AND DIFFICULTIES WITH FILLING HIS SMOKE OIL TANK. AFTER COMPLETING ABOUT TWO THIRDS OF HIS AEROBATIC ROUTINE THE PLT RECOVERED FROM A REVERSE CUBAN EIGHT AT A LOW ALTITUDE. THE ANGLE OF ATTACK INCREASED DURING THE RECOVERY AND THE AIRSPEED APPEARED TO DECREASE. THE PLT BEGAN A ROLL TO THE LEFT WHICH CONTINUED PAST 180 DEG BEFORE THE NOSE OF THE ACFT DROPPED SHARPLY. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE GROUND INVERTED IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE AT A BANK ANGLE LESS THAN 90 DEG. THERE WAS A LOUD EXPLOSION FOLLOWED BY A SEVERE GROUND FIRE.
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: 3,100 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,825 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 5,250 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R1340AN (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14L
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from NLC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 LAX85FA241.