Ryan NAVION B accident near Pacoima, California, September 26, 1997
On September 26, 1997 at about 1:17 am local time, a Ryan NAVION B, registered N5241K, was destroyed in an accident near Pacoima, California (Whiteman airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the dual student's improper positioning of the fuel selector and the CFI's inadequate supervision, which led to a takeoff with the auxiliary fuel tank selected and resulted in fuel starvation. A contributing factor was the position of the nomenclature on the cockpit fuel tank selector.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 26, 1997 · about 1:17 am local time
- Place
- Pacoima, California · Whiteman · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ryan NAVION B · all NAVION Bs on the register
- Registration
- N5241K · no longer on the register · serial NAV-4-2141B
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The aircraft experienced a loss of engine power in the takeoff initial climb followed by a steep descent into two single-family residences located approximately 1/2 mile from the end of the departure runway. Evidence at the accident site, and interviews with the aircraft's mechanic and the student pilot's flight instructor, indicated that the auxiliary fuel tank may have been supplying the engine during the takeoff and initial climb. Because the 'OFF' nomenclature on the cockpit fuel tank selector was located on the aft side of the selector housing in this aircraft, it would be easy to infer that the long end of the selector handle should be pointed toward the desired fuel tank selection (which is incorrect), particularly if the small arrow head on the opposite end of the handle has been partially obliterated with age as was the case with this aircraft.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 1,930 as pilot in command; 600 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,245 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 11, 1997; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,850 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming GO-435-C2 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: WHP CA at 1:15 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 4,120 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:27 am from WHP, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.
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 LAX97FA330.