North American NAVION-A accident near Big Bear City, California, December 19, 1994
On December 19, 1994 at about 9:52 pm local time, a North American NAVION-A, registered N8794H, was destroyed in an accident near Big Bear City, California (Big Bear City airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's initial overrotation, his failure to attain the proper climb airspeed, and an inadvertent entry into a stall mush condition. A factor in the accident was the high-density altitude.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 19, 1994 · about 9:52 pm local time
- Place
- Big Bear City, California · Big Bear City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American NAVION-A · all NAVION-As on the register
- Registration
- N8794H · no longer on the register · serial NAV-4-794
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT LIFTED OFF RUNWAY 8 IN AN UNUSUALLY NOSE-HIGH ATTITUDE WITH A SHALLOW CLIMB ANGLE. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED ON THE RUNWAY HEADING UNTIL IT SETTLED INTO A GROUP OF TREES 0.4 MILES FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT OWNER'S MANUAL INDICATED THE DISTANCE REQUIRED TO TAKE OFF AND CLEAR A 50-FOOT OBSTACLE UNDER NO WIND CONDITIONS WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY 4,700 FEET. THE 5,850-FOOT-LONG, HARD-SURFACED RUNWAY HAS A SLIGHT RISE IN THE CENTER, BUT OTHERWISE HAS NO SLOPE. WINDS WERE 7 KNOTS FROM 080 DEGREES. WING FLAPS WERE NOT UTILIZED. THE STAND OF TREES OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY WAS BETWEEN 25 TO 35 FEET IN HEIGHT AND SITUATED ON SLIGHTLY RISING TERRAIN. NO SIGNIFICANT DISCREPANCIES WERE NOTED IN THE EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE OR AIRFRAME. THE SAFETY BOARD CONCURS WITH THE TECHNICIAN THAT THE ABNORMALITY FOUND IN THE CARBURETOR HAD NO ROLE IN THE CAUSE OF THIS ACCIDENT. THE AIRPORT ELEVATION IS 6,750 FEET AND THE TEMPERATURE WAS ABOUT 51 DEGREES. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS CALCULATED TO BE 7,600 FEET.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 600 hours in all; 70 in this make and model; 133 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,993 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 7, 1993; 128 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E-185 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: WHP Pacoima CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 5,850 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 10°F (-12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from L35
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.