Rockwell 112TC accident near Gardena, California, December 18, 1986
On December 18, 1986 at about 2:00 am local time, a Rockwell 112TC, registered N112DM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gardena, California (Hawthorne Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- December 18, 1986 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Gardena, California · Hawthorne Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rockwell 112TC
- Registration
- N112DM · registry record · serial 13007
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT ELECTED TO RETURN AND LAND AT HIS HOME AIRPORT WHEN THE AIRCRAFT'S LANDING GEAR FAILED TO RETRACT AFTER A NIGHT TAKEOFF. AFTER REENTERING THE TRAFFIC PATTERN THE PILOT CHANGED HIS FUEL SELECTOR TO THE LEFT TANK FOR LANDING. AS THE AIRCRAFT TURNED ONTO THE FINAL APPROACH THE ENGINE FAILED WHILE THE AIRCRAFT WAS OVER A DENSELY POPULATED AREA AND THE PILOT EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING TO A STREET. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A PEDESTRAIN AND AN AUTOMOBILE AS IT LANDED ON THE STREET.
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: 318 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 212 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,861 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 16, 1986; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1A6D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Hawthorne Aviation Service
The flight
- Departed from: HHR Hawthorne CA at 1:42 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 4,956 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 270° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:49 am from LAX, 5 miles away
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 LAX87FA065.