Amateur-built RUTAN accident near Canyon Country, California, September 13, 1982
On September 13, 1982 at about 10:50 pm local time, a amateur-built RUTAN, registered N7LZ, was destroyed in an accident near Canyon Country, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. 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
- September 13, 1982 · about 10:50 pm local time
- Place
- Canyon Country, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RUTAN
- Registration
- N7LZ · registry record · serial 496
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ENG QUIT AS THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED PERFORMING ACROBATIC MANEUVERS. THE ACFT WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH A FUEL SYSTEM THAT WOULD SUSTAIN FUEL FLOW THROUGH NEGATIVE "G" MANEUVERS. THE ENG WOULD STOP WITH A 0.5 NEGATIVE G LOAD.
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: 301 hours in all; 102 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 227 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Van Nuys CA at 3:00 pm
- Destination: Van Nuys CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.