# NTSB LAX79FA084: Grumman G-21A, N22932, Avalon, CA, September 17, 1979

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: September 17, 1979
- Place: Avalon, CA · AVALON, CA
- Location: 33.3440° N, 118.3214° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Avalon, CA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.3440&lon=-118.3214&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal, 1 serious, 2 minor
- Status: Completed, report December 5, 1979
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 133639
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX79FA084
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX79FA084

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-3075  79/9/17    AVALON,CA           GRUMMAN G-21A       CR-  0  1  0  COMMERCIAL                AIRLINE TRANSPORT, AGE
        TIME - 1715                    N22932              PX-  1  0  2  COMMUTER AIR CARRIER      54, 13300 TOTAL HOURS,
                                       DAMAGE-SUBSTANTIAL  OT-  0  0  0  AIR TAXI-PASSG S-D        4000 IN TYPE, INSTRUMENT
                                                                                                   RATED.
        NAME OF AIRPORT - PEBBLY BEACH
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          AVALON,CA                   SAN PEDRO,CA
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           AIRFRAME FAILURE: IN FLIGHT                              TAKEOFF: INITIAL CLIMB
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PERSONNEL - MAINTENANCE,SERVICING,INSPECTION: INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION
           SYSTEMS - FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEMS: ELEVATOR AND ELEVATOR TAB CONTROL SYSTEM
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - FATIGUE FRACTURE
        FACTOR(S)
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN WATER
        REMARKS- UP ELEVATOR CABLE SEPARATED 3 TO 4FT FWD OF STATION 29.CRASHED DRG WATER TKOF.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N22932](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N22932), registered now, S/N B-139, built 1946 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: GRUMMAN G-21A
- Registry model: [Grumman G-21A](https://openairdocs.org/model/grumman-g-21a) (registry code 3951204) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney R-985 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r-985-series) (registry code 52008, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Airport: Pebbly Beach

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19790917036239A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19790917036239A), Sep 17, 1979: Gruman G21A, Catalina Island, CA, Substantial damage, 1 fatal. Elevator control cable parted just after liftoff. Amphibian hit water, nose down, sank.

## Other investigations on N22932 (3)

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 ANC04LA038](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC04LA038), Apr 5, 2004: Grumman G21 (N22932), Unalaska, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The inadvertent ground loop/swerve by the second pilot during the landing roll, and the first (check) pilot's inadequate supervision of the second pilot, which resulted in a loss of control and…
- [NTSB ANC98LA038](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98LA038), Apr 15, 1998: Grumman G-21 (N22932), Dutch Harbor, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot-in-command's failure to identify the swells prior to landing. A factor was the water swells.
- [NTSB ANC93IA026](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC93IA026), Jan 7, 1993: Grumman G-21A (N22932), Akutan, AK, incident, minor damage. Probable cause: THE INCIDENT WAS CAUSED BY THE PILOTS IMPROPER COMPENSATION FOR THE WINDS. FACTORS WERE THE MICROBURST, THE ROUGH WATER, AND THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE EVALUATION OF THE WEATHER CONDITIONS.

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.

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