Amateur-built SANDPIPER accident near Chesapeake, Virginia, March 17, 1989
On March 17, 1989 at about 4:02 pm local time, a amateur-built SANDPIPER, registered N339RH, was destroyed in an accident near Chesapeake, Virginia (Hampton Roads airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT/BUILDERS IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE RUDDERVADOR AND THE PILOT'S IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE FAILURE OF THE FAA TO DETECT THE FLAW DURING THE CERTIFICATION OF THE AIRCRAFT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 17, 1989 · about 4:02 pm local time
- Place
- Chesapeake, Virginia · Hampton Roads · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SANDPIPER
- Registration
- N339RH · no longer on the register · serial RJ82
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON THE MAIDEN TEST FLIGHT OF THE RECENTLY CERTIFICATED HOMEBUILT ACFT. THE PLT/BUILDER REPORTED NO PROBLEMS DURING HIGH SPEED TAXI RUNS. AFTER TAKEOFF THE PLT ENCOUNTERED PROBLEMS AT SLOW SPEEDS WHICH DECREASED AS AIRSPEED INCREASED. DURING LANDING, THE ACFT STALLED HIGH AND BOUNCED TWICE ON THE RWY. THE PLT INITIATED A GO-AROUND AND DURING CLIMB OUT WAS UNABLE TO DECREASE PITCH TO GAIN AIRSPEED. THE ACFT CRASHED INTO TREES NEAR THE RWY. THE PLT DESIGNED AND BUILT THE ACFT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE DAVIS MIXING UNIT WHICH CONTROLS PITCH AND RUDDER INPUT TO THE RUDDERVADOR. THE DESIGN PLANS CALLED FOR 9 DEGS PITCH UP TRAVEL AND 8 DEGS PITCH DOWN TRAVEL. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE RUDDERVADOR HAD BEEN INSTALLED WITH 12.5 DEGS NOSE UP TRAVEL AND 4.5 DEGS NOSE DOWN TRAVEL, THUS LIMITING THE PLTS ABILITY TO LOWER THE NOSE DURING CLIMB.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 178 hours in all; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 150 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, February 28, 1989; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,063 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-75-12 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 4,000 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 15 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.