Amateur-built RV-3 accident near Jackson, Michigan, August 6, 1992
On August 6, 1992 at about 10:05 pm local time, a amateur-built RV-3, registered N50WP, was destroyed in an accident near Jackson, Michigan. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
AN OVERLOAD AND TOTAL FAILURE OF THE REAR WING ATTACH FITTING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 6, 1992 · about 10:05 pm local time
- Place
- Jackson, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV-3
- Registration
- N50WP · registry record · serial 31245
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF A HOMEBUILT AEROBATIC AIRPLANE PLANNED TO PERFORM AEROBATICS ABOVE HIS HOME. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE ENTER A LOOP MANEUVER WITH AN ABRUPT PITCH UP MOTION. AS THE AIRPLANE NEARED THE TOP OF THE LOOP MANEUVER THE WINGS FOLDED OVER THE CANOPY OF THE AIRPLANE. THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED VERTICALLY, COLLIDING WITH THE GROUND SHORTLY THEREAFTER. AN ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE REAR SPAR ATTACH FITTINGS HAD FAILED SIMULTANEOUSLY. THE AIRPLANE'S DESIGNER STATED A REAR SPAR MODIFICATION HAD BEEN ISSUED TO BUILDERS AND OWNERS OF THIS TYPE AIRPLANE. THE AIRPLANE HAD THE MODIFICATION MADE TO ITS STRUCTURE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 622 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 434 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 88 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 23, 1992; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JXN at 10:01 pm
- Destination: JXN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from JXN, 5 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N50WP the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.