Bellanca 17-30A and Grumman F-14A accident near Ojai, California, June 28, 1990
On June 28, 1990 at about 7:12 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Bellanca 17-30A (N39843) and Grumman F-14A (USN), were involved in the same accident near Ojai, California. 1 person had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
STRUCTURAL DAMAGE SUSTAINED BY THE BELLANCA, N39843, AS A RESULT OF ENCOUNTERING WAKE TURBULENCE DURING A NEAR-COLLISION WITH A NAVY F-14A.
STRUCTURAL DAMAGE SUSTAINED BY THE BELLANCA, N39843, AS A RESULT OF ENCOUNTERING WAKE TURBULENCE DURING A NEAR-COLLISION WITH A NAVY F-14A.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 28, 1990 · about 7:12 pm local time
- Place
- Ojai, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Bellanca 17-30A · all 17-30As on the register
- Registration
- N39843 · registry record · serial 73-30A
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Grumman F-14A
- Registration
- USN · no longer on the register · serial 159426
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Bellanca 17-30A final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE NAVY PILOT HAD RECEIVED CLEARANCE TO DESCEND FROM 9,000 FT TO 5,000 FT ON A SOUTH-EASTERLY COURSE. THE WESTBOUND BELLANCA WAS CRUISING IN LEVEL FLIGHT AT 8,500 FT. VFR CONDITIONS PREVAILED. WHEN THE TWO AIRPLANES WERE BETWEEN 100-300 FT OF EACH OTHER, THE NAVY PILOT OBSERVED THE TARGET AND ABRUPTLY PULLED UP. THE BELLANCA PASSED BENEATH THE F-14 AND ENCOUNTERED ITS WAKE. BOTH AIRPLANES LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE BELLANCA'S RIGHT WING'S REAR MAIN WOODEN SPAR WAS FOUND BROKEN. AT THE TIME, THE F-14 WAS BEING RADAR CONTROLLED BY A TRAINEE CONTROLLER UNDER DIRECT SUPERVISION. THE SUPERVISOR HAD OBSERVED THE POSSIBLE TRAFFIC CONFLICT, AND HAD DIRECTED THE TRAINEE TO INFORM THE F-14. RESPONDING TO THE ADVISORY, THE PILOT OF THE F-14 OBSERVED THE TRAFFIC AND TOOK EVASIVE ACTION.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Grumman F-14A final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE NAVY PILOT HAD RECEIVED CLEARANCE TO DESCEND FROM 9,000 FT TO 5,000 FT ON A SOUTH-EASTERLY COURSE. THE WESTBOUND BELLANCA WAS CRUISING IN LEVEL FLIGHT AT 8,500 FT. VFR CONDITIONS PREVAILED. WHEN THE TWO AIRPLANES WERE BETWEEN 100-300 FT OF EACH OTHER, THE NAVY PILOT OBSERVED THE TARGET AND ABRUPTLY PULLED UP. THE BELLANCA PASSED BENEATH THE F-14 AND ENCOUNTERED ITS WAKE. BOTH AIRPLANES LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE BELLANCA'S RIGHT WING'S REAR MAIN WOODEN SPAR WAS FOUND BROKEN. AT THE TIME, THE F-14 WAS BEING RADAR CONTROLLED BY A TRAINEE CONTROLLER UNDER DIRECT SUPERVISION. THE SUPERVISOR HAD OBSERVED THE POSSIBLE TRAFFIC CONFLICT, AND HAD DIRECTED THE TRAINEE TO INFORM THE F-14. RESPONDING TO THE ADVISORY, THE PILOT OF THE F-14 OBSERVED THE TRAFFIC AND TOOK EVASIVE ACTION.
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 for the Bellanca 17-30A from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,199 hours in all; 1,199 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 568 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VNY Van Nuys CA at 6:53 pm
- Destination: MRY Monterey CA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
The factual record for the Grumman F-14A from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, military
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,275 hours in all; 1,200 in this make and model; 77 in the last 90 days; 29 in the last 30 days; 2,000 as pilot in command; 393 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 69,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W TF-30-P414A (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NTD Nas Point Mugu CA at 6:15 pm
- Destination: NTD Nas Point Mugu CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 LAX90FA233.