Death Valley Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Death Valley, California 92328
Sunday, November 14, 1982 11:00 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHEN HE WAS ABOUT 100 FROM THE TOUCHDOWN POINT, "THE BOTTOM FELL OUT AND WE HIT GROUND." AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE PLANE INITIALLY IMPACTED WITH A 6 FT SAND DUNE ABOUT 60 FT FROM THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY. THERE WAS ANOTHER AIRCRAFT IN THE PATTERN BEHIND N1234. THE PILOT OF THE OTHER PLANE DID NOT SEE THE ACTUAL IMPACT, BUT HE REPORTED THAT N1234 FLEW A LONG DOWNWIND AND A LONG, LOW FINAL APPROACH. HE STATED THAT THE AIR WAS SMOOTH EXCEPT FOR SOME THERMALS ON DOWNWIND. HE SAW THE DUST FROM THE CRASH AND SAID IT ROSE NEARLY STRAIGHT-UP AND DRIFTED GRADUALLY. ALSO, HE NOTICED NO UNUSUAL WEATHER CONDITIONS WHEN HE LANDED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/14/1982
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1100
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City DEATH VALLEY
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92328
Event Date Year 1982
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport DEATH VALLEY AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID L06
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 1049
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID LAS
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 85
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 Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 75
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 53
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 10
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2317
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Oct 31 2002 4:04PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1234
NTSB Number LAX83LVW01
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AMATEUR BUILT
Aircraft Model QUICKIE Q2
Aircraft Series Identifier QUICKIE Q2
Aircraft Serial Number 2307
Certified Max Gross Weight 1000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 95
Airframe Hours 95
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name THOMAS H. NEWHARD
Aircraft Owner Street Address 84 SANTA CRUZ WAY
Aircraft Owner City CAMARILLO
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93010
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name THOMAS H. NEWHARD
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 84 SANTA CRUZ WAY
Operator City CAMARILLO
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 93010
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 No
Departure Airport Code CMA
Departure City CAMARILLO
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 900
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City SUFFOLK
Destination State VA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 18 2002 4:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 33
Runway Length 3040
Runway Width 72
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --