Amateur-built MUSTANG I accident near Bermuda Dunes, California, February 19, 1983
On February 19, 1983 at about 10:25 pm local time, a amateur-built MUSTANG I, registered N138X, was destroyed in an accident near Bermuda Dunes, California (Bermuda airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- February 19, 1983 · about 10:25 pm local time
- Place
- Bermuda Dunes, California · Bermuda · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built MUSTANG I
- Registration
- N138X · no longer on the register · serial TMP003
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CRASHED ON A ROAD NEAR THE ACTIVE RUNWAY WHILE MAKING A GO-AROUND TO AVOID AN ACFT WHICH TAXIED ON THE RUNWAY AS HE APPROACHED. AT ABOUT 400 FEET AGL ON FINAL APPROACH THE PILOT OF THE ACCIDENT ACFT REALIZED A SAFE LANDING WAS NOTPOSSIBLE. HE STALLED HIS ACFT ADDED POWER AND REGAINED SOME CONTROL BUT CONTINUED TO DESCEND. HE THEN TURNED TO THE LEFTAND LANDED ON A STREET.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 2,646 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 2,033 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 32 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 26, 1982; 32 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 11 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L66 Corona CA at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 3,500 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 350° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:49 pm from TRM, 9 miles away
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.