Champion 7KCAB accident near Ojai, California, February 19, 1990
On February 19, 1990 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Champion 7KCAB, registered N5156T, was destroyed in an accident near Ojai, 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 PILOT'S PERFORMING AEROBATIC MANEUVERS AT A LOW ALTITUDE AND FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 19, 1990 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Ojai, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion 7KCAB · all 7KCABs on the register
- Registration
- N5156T · registry record · serial 9
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A GROUND WITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE PERFORMING A LOW LEVEL AEROBATIC MANEUVER, INVERTED FLIGHT ABOUT 50 FEET AGL. THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED DURING THE MANEUVER AND STRUCK HIGH VEGETATION IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE FOUND OF MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WITH THE AIRPLANE.
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: 335 hours in all; 17 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 256 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 30, 1989
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: SZP Santa Paula CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:46 pm from OXR, 12 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.