Hawker Aircraft LTD HAWKER HUNTER MK.58 accident near Big Sur, California, October 15, 2025
On October 15, 2025 at about 6:06 pm local time, a 1959 Hawker Aircraft LTD HAWKER HUNTER MK.58, registered N335AX, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Big Sur, California (Monterey Regional Airport). It was a public-use flight (federal) under military rules. 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A complete loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 15, 2025 · about 6:06 pm local time
- Place
- Big Sur, California · Monterey Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hawker Aircraft LTD HAWKER HUNTER MK.58, built 1959 · all HAWKER HUNTER MK.58s on the register
- Registration
- N335AX · no longer on the register · serial 41H-697458
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight (federal) · military rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported he and one other airplane was providing adversary and tactical training for United States military aircrews. While enroute to the training area, at flight level 220, he was informed that the fighter element would be about 10 minutes late. To conserve fuel, he reduced the engine power and slowed the airplane. Shortly thereafter, the airplane experienced a complete loss of engine power. The pilot executed the engine malfunction checklist, attempted multiple restarts, however, despite his attempts, the engine would not restart. Concerned that the airplane did not have sufficient altitude and in the interest of public safety due to overcast cloud layer over the nearest airport, the pilot elected to eject over the Pacific Ocean. The airplane was not recovered from the ocean, and the reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined.
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 engine power (total) during enroute defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during enroute
The NTSB's findings
- Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,228 hours in all; 1,573 in this make and model; 53 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 4,953 as pilot in command; 500 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 26, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, August 19, 2025; 124 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 25,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Rolls-Royc AVON MK 203 (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Operator: Airborne Tactical Advantage CO
The flight
- Departed from: KNTD Oxnard CA at 5:34 pm
- Destination: KNTD Oxnard CA
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,400 ft; scat at 2,600 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 10:54 am from KMRY, 17 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KMRY 151754Z 00000KT 10SM BKN030 OVC044 16/07 A3010 RMK AO2 SLP203 T01610067 10161 20117 51013=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 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 WPR26LA023.