Amateur-built 1 accident near Upland, California, January 10, 1982
On January 10, 1982 at about 7:45 pm local time, a amateur-built 1, registered N234Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Upland, California. 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 10, 1982 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Upland, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built 1
- Registration
- N234Q · no longer on the register · serial 35
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT TOOK OFF ON AN UPWARD SLOPING RUNWAY TOWARDS RISING TERRAIN. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ENOUGH SPEED TO CLEAR OBSTACLES WITH THE 22 HORSEPOWER ENGINE. HE ELECTED TO LAND ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET. WHILE MANEUVERING AROUND A STREET LIGHT POLE, THE PLANE STRUCK A STREET CURB AND A FENCE. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE AS ABOUT 2400 FT. THERE WAS LIGHT RAIN AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. A DISCUSSION WITH THE PILOT AND THE MANUFACTURER INDICATED THAT WATER DROPS ON THE CANARD MAY DISTURB ITS AIRFLOW AND MAKE THE AIRCRAFT NOSE HEAVY.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,553 hours in all; 48 in the last 90 days; 2,389 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 48 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 48 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 890 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Onan DD 13 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Upland CA at 11:45 am
- Destination: Upland CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 149°F (65°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 11:45 am
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 N234Q 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.