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).
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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 28, 1990 · about 7:12 pm local time · cases in 1990
- 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 · registered outside the United States · 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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N39843 on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Bellanca 17 Viking 628 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Bellanca 2,699 aircraft on the register
- Grumman 443 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental IO-520K 8 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Engine: P&W TF-30-P414A · as the NTSB recorded it
- Van Nuys Airport · departed from
- Monterey Regional · bound for
- Point Mugu Naval Air Station (Naval Base Ventura County) · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in California 9,080 since 1982 · 1,096 in the last ten years
- California 28,134 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/LAX90FA233.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.