Amateur-built WILLIAMS MITE M18L accident near San Diego, California, September 5, 2000
On September 5, 2000 at about 7:14 pm local time, a amateur-built WILLIAMS MITE M18L, registered N60BW, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Diego, California (Gillespie airport). It was a personal flight 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 separation of the airplane's vertical stabilizer and rudder assemblies, during the landing approach, because of dry rot.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 5, 2000 · about 7:14 pm local time
- Place
- San Diego, California · Gillespie · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built WILLIAMS MITE M18L WILLIAMS M
- Registration
- N60BW · no longer on the register · serial 7
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On landing approach in an experimental airplane, the entire stabilizer and rudder assemblies separated from the airplane, as a single unit. Thereafter, the airplane veered sharply to the right, and there was a strong tendency to roll inverted. The pilot regained control of the airplane, extended the landing gear, and landed on runway 17 without further mishap. The separated components were subsequently located on airport property. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the components and reported observing evidence of dry rot on the fracture surfaces.
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: 790 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 600 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,116 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 20, 2000; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 850 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-145 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OKB Oceanside CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 4,147 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 190°F (88°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:47 am from SEE
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.