El Toro Mcas Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

El Toro Mcas, California 92709
Saturday, April 27, 1985 9:38 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT INITIATED A NORMAL TAKEOFF & CLIMB UNTIL THE ACFT WAS OVER THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RWY AT ABOUT 150 FT AGL WITH THE LANDING GEAR & FLAPS RETRACTED. THE ACFT THEN ROLLED RAPIDLY INTO A STEEP LEFT BANK, TURNED ABOUT 180 DEG & CLIMBED TO APRX 250 FT AGL. AS THE ACFT ROLLED TO A WINGS LEVEL ATTITUDE, THE NOSE WAS SLIGHTLY ABOVE THE HORIZON. THE ACFT REMAINED IN THAT POSITION MOMENTARILY, THEN QUICKLY ROLLED INTO A STEEP LEFT BANK. AFTER ABOUT ANOTHER 30 DEG OF HEADING CHANGE, THE ACFT ROLLED OVER-THE-TOP INTO A RIGHT SPIN. REPORTEDLY, THE SPIN WAS STOPPED AFTER ABOUT 3 TURNS, BUT BEFORE RECOVERY, THE ACFT STRUCK THE GROUND IN A NOSE DOWN, RIGHT WING DOWN ATTITUDE. AFTER INITIAL IMPACT, THE ACFT CONTINUED INTO A CHAPEL BUILDING & BURNED. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. THE PLT POSSESSED A WAIVER TO FLY WITH AN AMPUTATED LEG. THE ACFT WAS MODIFIED SO THAT HE HAD FULL CONTROL OF THE RUDDER WITH 1 LEG.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/27/1985
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 938
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City EL TORO MCAS
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92709
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport EL TORO MCAS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NZJ
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 383
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 940 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID NZJ
Elevation of weather observation facility 383
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 30
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 17
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 21
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 2193
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 464
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 27 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1100
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 27752
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2860G
NTSB Number LAX85FA228
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name NORTH AMERICAN
Aircraft Model SNJ-6
Aircraft Series Identifier SNJ-6
Aircraft Serial Number 112130
Certified Max Gross Weight 5300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 1 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 57
Airframe Hours 5257
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MERREL GOSSMAN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 16815 VICTORY BLVD.
Aircraft Owner City VN NUYS
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91406
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code NZJ
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 938
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 34L
Runway Length 6310
Runway Width 250
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --