Ramona Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ramona, California 92065
Sunday, August 23, 1987 14:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING THE THIRD TEST FLT, THE PLT WAS TO FLY THE ACFT TO 6000 FT FOR SLOW FLT AND FLUTTER TESTING AT INCREASING SPEEDS TO 200 MPH. THE PLT WAS THEN TO COMPLETE A SHALLOW DESCENT TO TOUCH-DOWN WITH AN ON FINAL, OVER-THE-FENCE SPEED NOT TO EXCEED 75 MPH. INSTEAD, UPON REACHING APRX 300 FT AGL HE DOVE THE PLANE TO APRX 50 FT AND PROCEEDED TO DO A HIGH SPEED PASS DOWN THE RWY. AT THREE QUARTERS THE WAY DOWN THE RWY A LOUD BANG WAS HEARD AND A PIECE OF THE ELEVATOR SEPARATED FROM THE ACFT. THE PLANE DOVE SLIGHTLY THEN COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/23/1987
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1430
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City RAMONA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92065
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport RAMONA
Event Location Nearest Airport ID L39
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 1393
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) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2175
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 23 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1400
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 35652
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:43PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Unknown
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6524J
NTSB Number LAX87DUM05
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 SAWYER
Aircraft Model DF-9
Aircraft Series Identifier DF-9
Aircraft Serial Number
Certified Max Gross Weight 1050
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 Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Aug 1 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 3
Airframe Hours 3
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JEFFREY S SAWYER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1176 VIA LOMA VISTA
Aircraft Owner City EL CAJON
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92020
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SAWYER, JEFFREY S.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1176 VIA LOMA VISTA
Operator City EL CAJON
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 92010
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code L39
Departure City ROMONA
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1400
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 Descent
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 27
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --