Aviation Crash Map

North American AT-6 N6972C

23 February 1989 · Compton, California, United States · Minor injuries

Summary

On 23 February 1989 at about 00:45 local time, a North American AT-6 registered N6972C was involved in an accident near Compton, California, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 00:45
Classification
Accident
Location
Compton, California, United States
Nearest airport
Compton
Coordinates
33.8706, -118.2407
Aircraft
North American AT-6
Registration
N6972C
Category
Airplane
Engines
1
Operator
Not recorded
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Personal
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Compton → Unknown
Aircraft damage
Substantial
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
LAX89LA114

People

1 person had minor injuries.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
1 0 0 1 0

Probable cause

FATIGUE CRACKS THAT EXISTED IN AN ENGINE CYLINDER.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

AT THE BEGINNING OF A LOCAL PLEASURE FLIGHT, JUST AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ENGINE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER. WIRES WERE STRUCK DURING A FORCED LANDING ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET. INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE NUMBER FIVE CYLINDER WAS CRACKED IN TWO PARTS. A METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THREE SEPARATE FATIGUE CRACKS EXISTED PRIOR TO THE FINAL BREAK. COMBUSTION BY-PRODUCTS WERE NOTED IN THE CRACKS AND ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE CYLINDER IN THE AREA OF THE CRACKS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other North American AT-6 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
1 Jul 1990 North American AT-6
N44ZZ
Buffalo, New York, United States
no coordinates
Gifford T. Foyle Fatal 1
30 Jul 1993 North American AT-6
N6617X
Matawan, New Jersey, United States
no coordinates
Bi-Plane Adventure Tours Inc. No injuries -
3 Aug 1985 North American AT-6
N4434N
Port Isabel, Texas, United States
no coordinates
- No injuries -
6 Mar 1983 North American AT-6
N9786Z
Norman, Oklahoma, United States
no coordinates
- No injuries -
5 May 2001 North American AT-6 D
N7421C
Prescott, Arizona, United States William S. Modes No injuries -
24 Aug 2003 North American AT-6
N37642
Omaha, Nebraska, United States - No injuries -

All 12 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
15 Sep 1989 Piper PA-31-350
N70PE
Ontario, California, United States Ameriflight Fatal 1
26 Sep 1989 Piper PA-25-235
N4450Y
Warner Springs, California, United States - No injuries -
19 Sep 1989 Cessna 310K
N6958L
Ojai, California, United States - Fatal 2
30 Sep 1989 Cessna 182
N96642
Eureka, California, United States Nothern Air No injuries -
30 Sep 1989 Cessna 152
N6422M
Lancaster, California, United States West Coast Air Center Fatal 2
29 Sep 1989 Bellanca 17-30A
N8272R
Palo Alto, California, United States Klouda, Linda K. Minor injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States