Navion A accident near Hawthorne, California, August 4, 1987
On August 4, 1987 at about 5:25 pm local time, a Navion A, registered N4388K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hawthorne, California (Hawthorne airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. 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
- August 4, 1987 · about 5:25 pm local time
- Place
- Hawthorne, California · Hawthorne · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Navion A
- Registration
- N4388K · no longer on the register · serial NAV-4-1388
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A PLEASURE CROSS COUNTRY FLT, THE ENG SPUTTERED THEN REGAINED FULL PWR. THE PLT TURNED TOWARD A NEARBY ARPT AND WAS CLEARED TO LAND. EN ROUTE TO THE ARPT THE ENGINE LOST FULL POWER. WHEN THE PILOT THOUGHT HE COULD MAKE THE RWY HE EXTENDED THE LANDING GEAR AND FULL FLAPS, HOWEVER, THE ACFT BEGAN TO DESCEND MORE RAPIDLY AND THE ACFT WAS UNABLE TO LAND AT THE AIRPORT AND LANDED ON A CITY STREET WHERE IT COLLIDED WITH AN ONCOMING VEHICLE. INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO FUEL IN THE FUEL SYSTEM AND WHEN TESTED THE ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL PUMP LEAKED FUEL AT THE SEALS.
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: 432 hours in all; 210 in this make and model; 71 in the last 90 days; 391 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,295 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 12, 1986; 173 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E-185-9 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Q31 Visalia CA at 4:30 pm
- Destination: TAO Torrance CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7, 4,956 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:27 pm from HHR, 1 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.
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.