Rialto Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Rialto, California 92376
Saturday, May 27, 1989 11:26 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT/CO-OWNER HAD ONLY A GLIDER CERTIFICATE, BUT HE ELECTED TO FLY THE HOME BUILT AIRPLANE ON ITS MAIDEN FLIGHT. AFTER DEPARTING ON RUNWAY 24, HE INITIATED A RIGHT TURN ABOUT 3/4 MILE WEST OF THE AIRPORT. WHILE TURNING AT ABOUT 200 FT AGL, THE AIRPLANE ENTERED A SPIN & IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A VERTICAL DESCENT. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE PILOT HAD ABOUT 82 HRS OF FLIGHT TIME, OF WHICH, APRX 25 HRS WERE IN SINGLE ENGINE AIRPLANES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED, WHILE TURNING AFTER TAKEOFF, WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL/SPIN. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT BY TEST FLYING AN AIRPLANE THAT HE WAS NOT PROPERLY CERTIFICATED TO OPERATE, HIS LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE AIRCRAFT, AND OVERCONFIDENCE IN HIS PERSONAL ABILITY.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/27/1989
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1126
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City RIALTO
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92376
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport RIALTO
Event Location Nearest Airport ID L67
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 75
Degrees magnetic from airport 260
Airport Elevation 1438
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1155 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID RAL
Elevation of weather observation facility 816
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 11
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
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) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 2
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 1438
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) 1416
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 27 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1130
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39715
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:40PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N90HS
NTSB Number LAX89DUG04
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name HOLMAN/SEARS
Aircraft Model HS-1
Aircraft Series Identifier HS-1
Aircraft Serial Number N90HS
Certified Max Gross Weight 851
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 24 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 11
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HOLMAN, HOWARD L., HOWARD O.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6706 BELINDA DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City RIVERSIDE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92407
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SEARS, HOWARD
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 615 NORTHPARK BLVD.
Operator City SAN BERNARDINO
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 92407
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code L67
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1120
Departure Time Zone PDT
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 24
Runway Length 4500
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --