T-6 Texan, Harvard & SNJ Main Directory
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TEXAN/44-82241

T-6 TEXAN
 T-6 TEXAN
Serial #: 44-82241
Construction #: 121-42963
Civil Registration:
  N2860G
Model(s):
  AT-6F Texan
  SNJ-6
Name: None
Status: Crashed
Last info: 1985
History:
Built for USAAF as 44-82241, 19??.
Delivered to U.S. Navy as SNJ-6/Bu. 112130, 19??.
Gosta T. Nilson, Los Angeles, CA, 1963-1966.
- Registered as N2860G.
Dale O. Luff Co, Burbank, CA, 1969-1972.
Merrell Gossman, Van Nuys, CA, Circa 1977-1982.
Unknown Owner, circa 1982-1988.
- Crashed during display, El Toro MCAS, CA, April 27, 1985.
-- Rebuilt, 1985-1988.
-- First flight circa 1988.
Andrew T. Gemellaro, Canoga Park, CA, 1988-1985.
- Crashed and destroyed in fatal accident, El Toro MCAS, Ca, April 27, 1985.
NTSB Identification: LAX85FA228 .
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, April 27, 1985 in EL TORO MCAS, CA
Aircraft: NORTH AMERICAN SNJ-6, registration: N2860G
Injuries: 2 Fatal.

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.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
AIRSPEED..NOT MAINTAINED..PILOT IN COMMAND
STALL/SPIN..INADVERTENT..PILOT IN COMMAND

Contributing Factors
IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION..IMPROPER..PILOT IN COMMAND

Source(s):
Chapman, John & Goodall, Geoff, Edited by Paul Coggan - Warbirds Directory,Warbirds Worldwide Ltd., Mansfield, England, 1989.
Goodall, Geoff - Warbirds Directory-4th Edition, 2003.
Federal Aviation Administration, www.faa.gov, 2008.
National Transportation Safety Board/NTSB
Photo Source(s):
William T. Larkins
eLaReF
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