Douglas A-4A N444AV
4 June 1987 · California City, California, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 4 June 1987 at about 13:44 local time, a Douglas A-4A registered N444AV, operated by Advanced Aeronautical Entprise, was involved in an accident near California City, California, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.
The record
- Date
- at 13:44
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- California City, California, United States
- Nearest airport
- California City (L71)
- Coordinates
- 35.1502, -117.9210
- Aircraft
- Douglas A-4A
- Registration
- N444AV
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Advanced Aeronautical Entprise
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Other Work Use
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Mojave → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- LAX87FA225
People
1 person died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.
Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE AIRPLANE, A CIVILIAN DOUGLAS A4A, WAS ENGAGED IN FILMING A COMMERCIAL WHICH REQUIRED THE PLT TO FLY OVER A FERRARI VEHICLE. THE PILOT HAD COMPLETED A LOW FILMING PASS OVER THE VEHICLE AND WAS CIRCLING THE AREA WHILE THE FILM CREW WAS PREPARING FOR ANOTHER LOW PASS OVER THE VEHICLE. GROUND WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE THEN ENTERED A SHALLOW DESCENT AND ROLLED INTO INVERTED FLIGHT. THE LEFT WING STRUCK THE GROUND, WHILE INVERTED, AND THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO CARTWHEEL. THE MAIN FUSELAGE AREA WAS FOUND ABOUT 2000 FEET FROM THE INITIAL WING IMPACT POINT. THE POST ACCIDENT WRECKAGE EXAMINATION DSCLSD NO EVIDENCE OF ANY PREIMPACT MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES. NO MEDICAL EVIDENCE WAS FOUND TO INDICATE ANY CONDITION TO IMPAIR THE PLT. THE PLT HAD ATTEMPTED TO EJECT FROM THE ACFT. THE SEAT HAD FIRED AND THE SEAT WAS FOUND 52 FT NORTH OF THE FUSELAGE AREA. THE PLTS PARACHUTE HAD DEPLOYED AND WAS FOUND ADJACENT TO THE COCKPIT AREA.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Nov 1987 | Durbin MONNETT MONI | Ramona, California, United States | Lipner, Robert M. | Serious injuries | - |
| 24 Dec 1987 | Bede BD-5 | Chula Vista, California, United States | Teufel, Armin U. | Fatal | 1 |
| 25 Oct 1987 | Stits ELKINS 85 | Camarillo, California, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 21 Nov 1987 | Isgrigg ELITE | Tehachapi, California, United States | Isgrigg, John | Minor injuries | - |
| 27 Dec 1987 | Rolladen-Schneider LS-3 | Santa Ynez, California, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 1 Jan 1987 | Cessna 152 | San Dimas, California, United States | King Aviation | Minor injuries | - |