Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

El Mirage, California
Saturday, September 29, 1990 17:00 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT TOOKOFF FROM A DRY LAKE BED INTO A LEFT QUARTERING CROSSWIND. VIDEO TAPE AND GROUND WITNESSES DESCRIBED A NSOE HIGH ATTITUDE AFTER LIFTOFF PRIOR TO THE PILOT INITIATING A TURN TO THE RIGHT. DURING THE TURN THE AIRPLANE STALLED AND FELL RIGHT WING DOWN AND NOSE LOW TO GROUND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/29/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1700
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City EL MIRAGE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 9
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 20
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1834
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 29 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1750
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43624
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:22PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N91RR
NTSB Number LAX90DUG11
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91F: Special Flt Ops.
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name VOLKSPLANE
Aircraft Model WE-1
Aircraft Series Identifier WE-1
Aircraft Serial Number 8792252
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RHOADS, RICHARD R
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 725,
Aircraft Owner City JOSHUA TREE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92252
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name TURNER, FRED L.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 7610 COLLEGE DR.
Operator City STANTION
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 90680
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 Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1658
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --