What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The aircraft was substantially damaged when it impacted a field about 3 NM southeast of the pilot’s destination airport, zamperini field airport (toa), torrance, California. The pilot and passenger were seriously injured. At 1246, the pilot reported to air traffic control that he was over the vincent thomas bridge, we have an engine failure, and coming into land. The controller immediately cleared the airplane to land and the pilot acknowledged the clearance. He then asked the pilot for his desired runway and the pilot responded with the “south runways”, referring to runways 29R and 29L. There were no further radio transmissions from the pilot.
As the FAA filed it
THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT IMPACTED A FIELD ABOUT 3 NM SOUTHEAST OF THE PILOT’S DESTINATION AIRPORT, ZAMPERINI FIELD AIRPORT (TOA), TORRANCE, CALIFORNIA. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED. AT 1246, THE PILOT REPORTED TO AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL THAT HE WAS OVER THE VINCENT THOMAS BRIDGE, WE HAVE AN ENGINE FAILURE, AND COMING INTO LAND. THE CONTROLLER IMMEDIATELY CLEARED THE AIRPLANE TO LAND AND THE PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED THE CLEARANCE. HE THEN ASKED THE PILOT FOR HIS DESIRED RUNWAY AND THE PILOT RESPONDED WITH THE “SOUTH RUNWAYS”, REFERRING TO RUNWAYS 29R AND 29L. THERE WERE NO FURTHER RADIO TRANSMISSIONS FROM THE PILOT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.