Rearwin 8500 accident near Glendale, California, July 29, 1988
On July 29, 1988 at about 9:01 pm local time, a Rearwin 8500, registered N15855, was substantially damaged in an accident near Glendale, California. 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
SEPERATION OF AN ENGINE CYLINDER THAT MOVED INTO THE PLANE OF THE WOODEN PROPELLER BLADES. THE PROPELLER BLADES WERE SHEARED BY THE DISLODGED CYLINDER. THE ROUGH LANDING SURFACE CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 29, 1988 · about 9:01 pm local time
- Place
- Glendale, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rearwin 8500 · all 8500s on the register
- Registration
- N15855 · no longer on the register · serial 455
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT HAD PENETRATED A TCA WITHOUT CLEARANCE WHEN, AT THE INSTRUCTIONS FROM AN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER, A POLICE HELICOPTER GAVE CHASE. AS THE HELICOPTER NEARED THE AIRPLANE THE HELICOPTER CREW REPORTED THAT PARTS WERE FALLING FROM THE AIRPLANE. THE HELICOPTER FOLLOWED THE AIRPLANE AS IT DESCENDED AND TOUCHED DOWN IN A ROUGH DRY RIVER BED. THE AIRPLANES LANDING GEAR SHEARED ON TOUCHDOWN AND THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER ON ITS BACK. AN ENGINE EXAM REVEALED A CYLINDER HAD SEPARATED AND SHEARED THE PROPELLER.
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: 10,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,744 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,460 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Unknown LEBOND 85 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WHP Pocoima CA at 8:30 pm
- Destination: LGB Long Beech CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,200 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from LAX, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 LAX88FA273.