Accident Overview
On September 6, 2024, at 0036 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-24-250, registration N588CP, was destroyed in an accident near Hawthorne, California. The pilot and a pilot-rated passenger sustained serious injuries. The airplane was operated as a personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
Flight Intent
The passenger reported that the intended flight was to conduct pattern work at Jack Northrop Field/Hawthorne Municipal Airport (HHR). However, he did not recall any additional details about the accident flight.
Witness Accounts
Witnesses in the area reported hearing a sputtering engine as the airplane departed the airport. One witness, inside his residence near the departure end of the runway, heard a sputtering engine. He exited his residence and observed the accident airplane in a nose-up attitude, appearing to try to gain altitude but continuing to descend. The airplane began a left turn before passing over a building, after which the witness lost sight of it.
Surveillance and Impact
Security camera recordings from Hawthorne City Hall and a nearby hotel captured the final portion of the flight. The recordings showed the airplane coming into view in a left-wing low attitude, then impacting a light pole before striking the ground, where a post-impact fire ensued.
Wreckage and Recovery
Examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane came to rest upright on a city street about 1 mile southwest of HHR. The first identified point of impact (FIPC) was a damaged light pole. The debris path extended from the FIPC on a southwesterly heading for about 90 feet to the main wreckage. Sections of the left wing (including the fuel tip tank and left aileron), nose landing gear and strut, and a portion of a propeller blade were found within the debris path. The main wreckage was largely consumed by the post-impact fire. The airplane was recovered to a secure storage facility for further examination.