Varga 2150A accident near Hayward, California, January 5, 1987
On January 5, 1987 at about 6:37 am local time, a Varga 2150A, registered N5076V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hayward, California (Hayward Air Terminal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- January 5, 1987 · about 6:37 am local time
- Place
- Hayward, California · Hayward Air Terminal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Varga 2150A
- Registration
- N5076V · registry record · serial VAC6577
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER RTRNG FM A FLT, THE PLT TOOK OFF AGAIN (USING RWY 28L) & TURNED TO THE SE. A WITNESS (SE OF THE ARPT), SAID HE SAWTHE ACFT AT LOW ALT (ESTD 100 TO 200 FT) FLYING IN HIS DRCTN. HE NOTED NO OTR INDCN OF A PROBLEM UNTIL AFTER THE ACFT MADE A 'VERY SHARP BANKING TURN TO THE LEFT' & REVERSED DRCTN BACK TO THE ARPT. THE WITNESS SAID THAT IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE TURN WAS COMPLETED, THE ENG SPUTTERED & THE ACFT SUDDENLY ENTERED A STEEP DSCNT & CRASHED. IMPACT OCCURRED NEAR THE APCH END OF RWY 28L. BFR GND IMPACT, THE ACFT HIT PWR LINES, CAUSING A PWR OUTAGE IN THE AREA. THE FUEL SYS WAS CONFIG- URED FOR BOTH TANKS TO FEED. ONE FUEL TANK WAS FND EMPTY, THE OTR HAD APRX 5 GAL REMAINING; HOWEVER, THE AMOUNT OF FUEL THAT MAY HAVE LEAKED AFTER THE CRASH WAS NOT VERIFIED. AN ENG TEAR DOWN SHOWED NO INDCN OF A PREIMPACT MECH FAILURE, BUTTHE CARB HEAT WAS FND IN THE 'OFF' PSN. TEMP & DEW POINT WERE 47 & 45 DEG, RESPECTIVELY. ICING PROBABILITY CHARTS SHOWEDTHAT SERIOUS CARB ICING COULD HAVE OCCURRED WHILE AT A CRUISE OR GLIDE POWER SETTING.
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: 145 hours in all; 145 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,032 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 6, 1986; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,817 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Action Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: HWD at 6:30 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28L, 5,019 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:45 am from OAK, 7 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.
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.