Amateur-built THORP T-18 accident near Palos Verdes, California, April 23, 1988
On April 23, 1988 at about 10:00 pm local time, a amateur-built THORP T-18, registered N1394A, was destroyed in an accident near Palos Verdes, California. 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 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 23, 1988 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Palos Verdes, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built THORP T-18
- Registration
- N1394A · no longer on the register · serial T-18-143
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS DEMONSTRATING THE ACFT FOR THE PASSENGER FOR A POSSIBLE SALE. THEY WERE PART OF A FLIGHT OF TWO OVER THE PACIFIC OCEAN. THE OWNER OF THE AIRCRAFT BEING DEMONSTRATED WAS IN THE SECOND AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT OF THE DEMO ACFT RADIOED TO THE SECOND ACFT THAT HE WAS GOING TO LET THE PASSENGER FLY, WHO WAS A COMM PILOT. THE ACFT INITIALLY BEGAN MAKING TIGHT TURNS BUT THEN TURNED AWAY FROM EACH OTHER. THE PLT OF THE SECOND ACFT DID NOT SEE THE DEMO ACFT AGAIN. A GROUND WITNESS REPORTED SEEING AN ACFT DIVING STRAIGHT TOWARDS THE WATER WITH NO ROTATION. A SEARCH BY THE SECOND ACFT REVEALED NOTHING. ACFT DEBRIS BELONGING TO THE DEMO ACFT WAS LATER FOUND ON THE BEACH AND EXHIBITED EXTREME ACCORDIAN SIGNATURES.
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: 706 hours in all; 127 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 617 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 214 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 21, 1987; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CPM Compton CA at 9:40 pm
- Destination: CPM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:46 pm from TOA, 13 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.