Chance Vought F4U-7 accident near Chula Vista, California, May 10, 1987
On May 10, 1987 at about 10:07 pm local time, a Chance Vought F4U-7, registered N33693, was destroyed in an accident near Chula Vista, California (Brown Field). 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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 10, 1987 · about 10:07 pm local time
- Place
- Chula Vista, California · Brown Field
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Chance Vought F4U-7 · all F4U-7s on the register
- Registration
- N33693 · no longer on the register · serial 133693
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF THE F4U WAS GIVING THE PASSENGER A RIDE IN APPRECIATION OF HER VOLUNTEER WORK SHE CONTRIBUTED TO AN AIRSHOW CONDUCTED AT BROWN FIELD IN SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA. GROUND WITNESSES OBSERVED THE F4U ENTER AN INVERTED DIVE FROM AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 1500 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND BEFORE IT IMPACTED THE GROUND. PLTS FAMILIAR WITH THE F4U STATED THAT ONCE INVERTED IT TENDS TO STAY THAT WAY AND A 'SPLIT S' MANEUVER IS USUALLY THE ONLY WAY OUT, WHICH USES 3000 FT OR MORE OF ALTITUDE. THE PLTS EXPERIENCE IN AEROBATICS IN THE F4U IS UNKNOWN. NO MALFUNCTIONS OF THE ACFT WERE NOTED DURING POST ACC INVESTIGATION.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,900 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,295 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 7, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 13,270 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R2800-18W (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SDM San Diego CA at 9:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:00 pm from SDM, 5 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.
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 LAX87DUM03.