Amateur-built GS-2 SPORTSMAN accident near Hawthorne, California, August 8, 2024
On August 8, 2024 at about 2:15 am local time, a 2008 amateur-built GS-2 SPORTSMAN, registered N552GC, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Hawthorne, California (Jack Northrop Field/Hawthorne). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight crew’s failure to maintain airspeed during a short field landing and the instructor’s delayed remediation, which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 8, 2024 · about 2:15 am local time
- Place
- Hawthorne, California · Jack Northrop Field/Hawthorne · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built GS-2 SPORTSMAN, built 2008
- Registration
- N552GC · registry record · serial 7266
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and owner of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that he was performing a short field approach with a flight instructor. During the landing, the instructor took control of the aircraft and pulled the control stick back, to increase the airplane’s pitch, and did not increase engine power. The airspeed decayed and the airplane experienced an aerodynamic stall and landed hard. The flight instructor reported that the sport pilot/owner was at the controls during the short field approach, and he had been talking him through the approach. On final approach, the instructor told the pilot to lower the nose and add power. Subsequently, the flight instructor applied full engine power, however, the airplane landed hard, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. The instructor and the pilot both reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures 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
- Landing gear collapse during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: sport pilot, student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 88 hours in all; 44 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 37 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 30, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,211 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 71 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 13,023 as pilot in command; 7,890 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 898.6 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, June 1, 2024; 20.8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 919 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 4,884 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from KHHR
Weather report (METAR): KHHR 080153Z 27005KT 10SM CLR 22/17 A2994 RMK AO2 SLP136 T02220172
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures 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
3 documents, released by the NTSB on February 27, 2025. 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, 14 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Cfi/pilot Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Photo Array | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | 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.