# Accident 20221130023019A: Arion Aircraft, LLC (Kit) LIGHTNING, Torrance, CA, November 30, 2022

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 30, 2022, 11:05 local time
- Place: Torrance, CA
- Airport: Zamperini Field
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.8075° N, 118.3472° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.8075&lon=-118.3472&mi=10
- Aircraft: N60MY, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N60MY-2023-07-20) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Greg Hobbs LIGHTNING (registry code 05630W3, https://openairdocs.org/model/greg-hobbs-lightning) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Jabiru 3300 (registry code 34801, https://openairdocs.org/engine/jabiru-3300) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ARION AIRCRAFT, LLC (KIT) LIGHTNING
- Reported engine: JABIRU 3300A
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR23FA047](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23FA047) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20221130023019A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2022, AT 1905 ZULU, 1105 PST, A FATAL GENERAL AVIATION ACCIDENT OCCURED AT TORRANCE, CA (TOA). THE FATAL ACCIDENT INVOLVED 1 PILOT AND 1 CO-PILOT, AND NO PASSENGERS. THE PILOT AND ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ OF THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, POSSESSED AN ATP, WITH 19,335 HOURS, AND A BASIC MEDICAL DATE OF 02/02/2021, WITH NO ENFORCEMENT HISTORY.  THE CO-PILOT,^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ POSSESSED A PRIVATE PILOT'S LICENSE, 200 FLIGHT HOURS, AND A LAST KNOWN MEDICAL DATE OF 06/07/1993. THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, WAS A 2011, ARION LIGHTNING, BUILT BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. THE AIRCRAFT POSSESSED A SPECIAL AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE IN THE EXPERIMENTAL CATEGORY FOR THE PURPOSE OF OPERATING AN AMETEUR BUILT AIRCRAFT. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^HAD A VALID REGISTRATION UNTIL MAY 31,2024. THE AIRCRAFT COMPLETED THE REQUIRED 40 HOUR FLIGHT TEST HOURS ON JANUARY 2, 2012, AND THE ENTRY WAS MADE IN THE LOGBOOK ATTESTING TO THE SATIFCATORY OPERATING CHARACHTERISTICS. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HAD MAINTENACE ENTRIES REFLECTING THE REQUIRED ANNUAL CONDITION INSPECTION, DATED NOVEMBER 2, 2022, FOR THE AIRCRAFT, PROPELLER, AND ENGINE, THE LATES CONDITION INSPECTION ENTRIES WERE ENDORSED BY A CERTIFICATED AIRFRAME AND POWERPLANT MECHANIC. THE REPORTED WEATHER DATA AT TORRANCE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, ZAMPERINI FIELD (KTOA) WAS: 0900 5KTS, 10SM, BKN020, BKN030, 17/11. THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT WAS ON SHORT FINAL TO RUNWAY 11R, AFTER PREVIOUSLY COMPLETING 3 TOUCH AND GO MANEUVERS. THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEN CLEARED BY TOA TOWER TO COMPLETE A TOUCH AND GO, THE PILOT AKNOWLEDGE THE REQUEST. THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED THE AIRPORT PERIMETER, APPEARED TO YAW LEFT (AS OBSERVED BY A WITNESS), SLIPPED LEFT, SNAPPED INTO A SPIN, AND DROPPED VERTICALLY INTO THE GROUND (AS OBSERVED BY TWO WITNESSES AND CLOSED-CIRCUIT TELEVISION). THE POINT OF IMPACT WAS APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET SHORT OF THE 11R THRESHOLD, ON AIRPORT PROPERTY. THE LEFT-WING TIP APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN THE FIRST ITEM TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THE GROUND, THE VERTICAL ATTITUDE OF THE AIRCRAFT UPON IMPACT CREATED A CRATER WHICH TOATLLY CONATINED THE ENGINE. THE AILERONS AND 1 PROPELLER BLADE WERE THROWN FROM THE ACCIDENT SCENE, ALL OTHER PIECES AND COMPONENTS WERE ADJACENT TO THE FUSELAGE. THERE WAS NO POST CRASH FIRE. NO BALISTIC PARACHUTE WAS INSTALLED. UPON INVESTIGATION, NO TRAPPED FUEL REMAINED IN FUEL TANKS DUE TO CONSIDERABLE STRUCTURAL DAMAGE. THE EMERGENCY LOCATOR TRANSMITTER WAS ANNUCIATING DURING THE INITIAL STAGES OF THE INVESTIGATION.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB WPR23FA047](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23FA047), Nov 30, 2022: Greg Hobbs Lightning (N60MY), Torrance, CA, substantial damage, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The failure of the pilot to maintain control of the airplane while performing a slip maneuver on final approach. Contributing was the failure of the pilot to fly a stabilized approach.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.