What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On December 22, 2025, in the afternoon at approximately 3 pm, the pilot and passenger took off from torrance airport in privacy data omitted, a Sling 2 aircraft, for a leisure flight. They initially headed to the practice area to perform some maneuvers. Subsequently, they attempted a touch-and-go at long beach airport but were informed by the tower that the pattern was temporarily suspended. They then decided to proceed to compton airport for a full stop landing.
During the flight over long beach airport at approximately 3000 feet, the pilot reduced the altitude to 1100 feet to align with the traffic pattern altitude. Shortly after leveling off, they observed a drop in fuel pressure despite both fuel pumps being active. The aircraft then experienced a complete loss of fuel pressure and rpms. The pilot executed the emergency checklist from memory without restoring power, leading them to prepare for an emergency landing.
The pilot identified privacy data omitted golf course in Carson as a suitable landing area. On approach, the aircraft was still fast, prompting the pilot to fully extend the flaps to reduce speed. However, the aircraft remained too fast and, while avoiding golfers on the course, the pilot made slight pitch adjustments. This resulted in the aircraft clipping a light post and subsequently colliding with a tree, causing the aircraft to come to rest in an inverted position.
After the crash, the pilot quickly assisted his passenger and himself out of the aircraft. A golfer nearby helped break open the canopy, allowing them to exit the wreckage. The pilot then secured the aircraft by turning off the magnetos and fuel pumps.
As the FAA filed it
ON DECEMBER 22, 2025, IN THE AFTERNOON AT APPROXIMATELY 3 PM, THE PILOT AND PASSENGER TOOK OFF FROM TORRANCE AIRPORT IN ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, A SLING 2 AIRCRAFT, FOR A LEISURE FLIGHT. THEY INITIALLY HEADED TO THE PRACTICE AREA TO PERFORM SOME MANEUVERS. SUBSEQUENTLY, THEY ATTEMPTED A TOUCH-AND-GO AT LONG BEACH AIRPORT BUT WERE INFORMED BY THE TOWER THAT THE PATTERN WAS TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED. THEY THEN DECIDED TO PROCEED TO COMPTON AIRPORT FOR A FULL STOP LANDING.
DURING THE FLIGHT OVER LONG BEACH AIRPORT AT APPROXIMATELY 3000 FEET, THE PILOT REDUCED THE ALTITUDE TO 1100 FEET TO ALIGN WITH THE TRAFFIC PATTERN ALTITUDE. SHORTLY AFTER LEVELING OFF, THEY OBSERVED A DROP IN FUEL PRESSURE DESPITE BOTH FUEL PUMPS BEING ACTIVE. THE AIRCRAFT THEN EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE LOSS OF FUEL PRESSURE AND RPMS. THE PILOT EXECUTED THE EMERGENCY CHECKLIST FROM MEMORY WITHOUT RESTORING POWER, LEADING THEM TO PREPARE FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING.
THE PILOT IDENTIFIED ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ GOLF COURSE IN CARSON AS A SUITABLE LANDING AREA. ON APPROACH, THE AIRCRAFT WAS STILL FAST, PROMPTING THE PILOT TO FULLY EXTEND THE FLAPS TO REDUCE SPEED. HOWEVER, THE AIRCRAFT REMAINED TOO FAST AND, WHILE AVOIDING GOLFERS ON THE COURSE, THE PILOT MADE SLIGHT PITCH ADJUSTMENTS. THIS RESULTED IN THE AIRCRAFT CLIPPING A LIGHT POST AND SUBSEQUENTLY COLLIDING WITH A TREE, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO COME TO REST IN AN INVERTED POSITION.
AFTER THE CRASH, THE PILOT QUICKLY ASSISTED HIS PASSENGER AND HIMSELF OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT. A GOLFER NEARBY HELPED BREAK OPEN THE CANOPY, ALLOWING THEM TO EXIT THE WRECKAGE. THE PILOT THEN SECURED THE AIRCRAFT BY TURNING OFF THE MAGNETOS AND FUEL PUMPS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.