Grumman G-44A accident near Ventura, California, April 12, 1987
On April 12, 1987 at about 10:03 pm local time, a Grumman G-44A, registered N32BB, was destroyed in an accident near Ventura, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt. 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
- April 12, 1987 · about 10:03 pm local time
- Place
- Ventura, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G-44A · all G-44As on the register
- Registration
- N32BB · registry record · serial 1475
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A LOCAL PLEASURE FLIGHT, THE PILOT HAD REDUCED POWER AND DESCENDED TO A LOWER ALTITUDE TO TAKE PICTURES OF A SAILBOAT RACE. AT APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET THE PILOT MADE A DESCENDING RIGHT TURN, THEN LEVELED OFF. THE AIRCRAFT STALLED AND THE PILOT LOWERED THE NOSE AND ABRUPTLY ADDED POWER. THE ENGINES DID NOT RESPOND IN TIME TO REGAIN ALTITUDE AND AIRSPEED. THE AIRCRAFT THEN IMPACTED THE WATER LEFT WING FIRST. ON IMPACT A FIRE STARTED. THE AIRCRAFT EVENTUALLY SANK AND WAS NOT RECOVERED.
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: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,100 hours in all; 450 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 2,045 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,500 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,525 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming GO-480-B1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: SBA Santa Barbara CA at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:54 pm from OXR, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.