- Date
- April 25, 1987, 10:15 local (17:15 UTC)
- Place
- Shafter, CA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N86ZNorth American F-86F
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 24, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19870425061019A
- Case key
- 25326
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
Following an airshow, the pilot transmitted while on final approach to the runway, that the engine had seized. The aircraft was landed with the landing gear retracted. During the flare the aircraft became uncontrollable, bounced several times on the runway, and burst into flames. Post crash investigation confirmed that the engine was not rotating (or windmilling) and that the emergency hydraulic system was not being used. Furthermore, the ejection seat was disabled and the pilot was not wearing a parachute.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N86Z
- Reported as
- North American F-86F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 51-12988
- Engine
- GE J47-27, 4,850 horsepower, turbo jet
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Part 91
- Registered owner
- Dave Zeuschel
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · August 1, 1986
- Departed
- VNY · Van Nuys, CA
- Destination
- MIT · Shafter, CA
- Airport
- MIT · Shafter-Minter Fld, runway 12, 4,520 × 150 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 46
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 1,600 total · 270 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BFL, 10 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.