Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Byron, California 94514
Saturday, April 16, 1994 17:15 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT FLYING ABOUT 1000 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND WHEN THEY HEARD THE ENGINE ACCELERATE FOLLOWED BY AN ABRUPT VERTICAL CLIMB. THE WINGS THEN SEPARATED AND THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED INTO THE GROUND. ALL THE MAJOR AIRCRAFT COMPONENTS WERE ACCOUNTED FOR EXCEPT THE VERTICAL STABILIZER. PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE TAIL SECTION INDICATED OVERLOAD-TYPE SEPARATIONS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

an abrupt maneuver by the pilot that initiated an in-flight separation of the tail and wing sections during acrobatic flight.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/16/1994
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1715
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City BYRON
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 94514
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1657
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 260
Weather Observation Facility ID SCK
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 20000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 12000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1418
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 16 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1850
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:02AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N363RD
NTSB Number LAX94LA190
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BUSHBY
Aircraft Model MUSTANG II
Aircraft Series Identifier MUSTANG II
Aircraft Serial Number 363
Certified Max Gross Weight 1550
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 5 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 30
Airframe Hours 1600
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RICHARD E. DAWSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3440 TURNER CT.
Aircraft Owner City FREMONT
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 94536
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DAWSON, RICHARD
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3440 TURNER COURT
Operator City FREMONT
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 94536
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code LVK
Departure City LIVERMORE
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1630
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code LVK
Destination City
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --