Vans Aircraft RV-9A accident near The Sea Ranch, California, June 17, 2004
On June 17, 2004 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Vans Aircraft RV-9A, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N93AZ, was substantially damaged in an accident near The Sea Ranch, California (The Sea Ranch Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's inadequate compensation for gusty crosswind conditions and failure to maintain proper runway alignment, resulting in a collision with trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 17, 2004 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- The Sea Ranch, California · The Sea Ranch Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Vans Aircraft RV-9A, amateur-built · all RV-9As on the register
- Registration
- N93AZ · registry record · serial 90017
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane impacted trees during an aborted landing. On final approach, with the airplane on runway centerline, the pilot encountered turbulence. Upon touchdown, the airplane bounced and veered to the left. As the airplane approached the left edge of the runway, the pilot opted to abort the landing. After the airplane became airborne, it encountered a gust of wind and continued the left drift. About 10 feet above ground level, the airplane impacted trees that bordered the left side of the runway. A witness reported to the pilot, that he felt a gust of wind while watching the airplane collide with the surrounding trees. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane.
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: 165 hours in all; 62 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 160 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-DIA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3O1 Gustine CA
- Destination: CA51 The Sea Ranch CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX04CA242.