Airborne XT912 accident near Hawthorne, California, January 13, 2020
On January 13, 2020 at about 8:30 pm local time, a 2008 Airborne XT912, registered N805M, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Hawthorne, California (Jack Northrop Field/Hawthorne). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's failure to arrest the airplane’s descent rate, which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 12, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 13, 2020 · about 8:30 pm local time · cases in 2020
- Place
- Hawthorne, California · Jack Northrop Field/Hawthorne · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Airborne XT912 L, built 2008
- Registration
- N805M · registry record · serial XT-912-0284
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The solo student pilot reported that, while on approach for landing, the airplane encountered a crosswind gust near the ground. The pilot attempted to abort the landing: however, he could not arrest the descent, and the airplane touched down hard on the runway. The airplane briefly became airborne and then hit the runway hard again, which resulted in the left rear wheel separating from the airplane. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the airframe. The student reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Part(s) separation from AC during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent rate › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 18 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 3 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 313 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 24, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 992 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912 (piston); 403 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HHR Hawthorne CA at 8:15 pm
- Destination: HHR Hawthorne CA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 25, 4,884 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from HHR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 1 picture from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on January 30, 2020. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo | PDF, 1 page · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N805M on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Airborne 58 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Rotax 912 239 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Jack Northrop Fld/Hawthorne Municipal · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in California 9,069 since 1982 · 1,088 in the last ten years
- California 27,610 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/WPR20CA064.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.