Travel Air 4-D accident near Riverside, California, November 30, 2021
On November 30, 2021 at about 9:30 pm local time, a 1929 Travel Air 4-D, registered N476N, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi near Riverside, California (Flabob airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to abort a high-speed taxi in time before the airplane exited the end of the airstrip which resulted in the pilot’s over application of the brakes and subsequent nose over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 30, 2021 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Riverside, California · Flabob · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Travel Air 4-D, built 1929
- Registration
- N476N · registry record · serial 1366
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, he was going to conduct a high-speed taxi before taxing back to takeoff. During the high-speed taxi, about 2/3 of the way down the grass airstrip, the pilot reduced power and began to slow down. The asphalt overrun approached faster than he expected as the airplane over ran the grass airstrip onto the asphalt run-up area. The pilot overly applied the brakes which resulted in the airplane nosing over and coming to rest inverted. The outboard struts, rudder and engine mount were substantially damaged. The pilot 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
- Loss of control on ground during taxi defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during taxi
- Nose over/nose down during taxi
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 5,062 hours in all; 408 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 3,246 as pilot in command; 10 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 22, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,071 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, October 29, 2021
- Maximum gross weight: 2,808 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Wright R-760 (piston); 5 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 06, 2,040 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 7 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 1:00 pm from KRIR
Weather report (METAR): SA 30/11/2021 21:53-> METAR KRAL 302153Z VRB06G21KT 10SM CLR 32/M06 A2997 RMK AO2 SLP133 T03171056=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on March 16, 2022. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversation (Pilot) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photo | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.