Amateur-built RUATAN accident near Riverside, California, December 5, 1982
On December 5, 1982 at about 9:45 pm local time, a amateur-built RUATAN, registered N1182Z, was destroyed in an accident near Riverside, California. 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
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
- December 5, 1982 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Riverside, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RUATAN
- Registration
- N1182Z · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES STATED HE HEARD AND SAW THE AIRCRAFT FLYING (RATHER SLOW AND LOW) OVER THE CANYON. HE HEARD THE ENGINE "SPUTTERING" AND THEN OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT APPEAR TO STALL FOLLOWED BY A STEEP DESCENT INTO THE HILLY TERRAIN. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE GROUND IN A STEEP NOSE LOW ATTITUDE AT THE 1300 FOOT LEVEL ON A STEEP HILLSIDE AND EXPLODED. POST IMPACT FIRE DESTROYED ALL BUT PORTIONS OF THE LEFT AND RIGHT WING, WINGLETS, ENGINE PROPELLER HUB, AIR SCOOP AND PORTIONS OF THE COCKPIT INSTRUMENTATION. THE BASIC ENGINE SHOWED NO PREIMPACT FAILURE AND AMPLE LUBRICATION WAS EVIDENT. BOTH MAGNETOS FUNCTIONED PROPERLY. THE FUEL GASCOLATOR BOWL WAS CONTAMINATED, AS WERETHE FILTER SCREENS, WITH WHAT APPEARED TO BE FIBERGLASS/EPOXY RESIN SHAVINGS AND DUST.
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: 107 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1B (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Riverside CA at 1:45 pm
- Destination: Riverside CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 162°F (72°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.