Amateur-built QUICKIE Q2 accident near Death Valley, California, November 14, 1982
On November 14, 1982 at about 7:00 pm local time, a amateur-built QUICKIE Q2, registered N1234, was destroyed in an accident near Death Valley, California (Death Valley Airport). 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
- November 14, 1982 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Death Valley, California · Death Valley Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built QUICKIE Q2
- Registration
- N1234 · registry record · serial 2307
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHEN HE WAS ABOUT 100 FROM THE TOUCHDOWN POINT, "THE BOTTOM FELL OUT AND WE HIT GROUND." AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE PLANE INITIALLY IMPACTED WITH A 6 FT SAND DUNE ABOUT 60 FT FROM THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY. THERE WAS ANOTHER AIRCRAFT IN THE PATTERN BEHIND N1234. THE PILOT OF THE OTHER PLANE DID NOT SEE THE ACTUAL IMPACT, BUT HE REPORTED THAT N1234 FLEW A LONG DOWNWIND AND A LONG, LOW FINAL APPROACH. HE STATED THAT THE AIR WAS SMOOTH EXCEPT FOR SOME THERMALS ON DOWNWIND. HE SAW THE DUST FROM THE CRASH AND SAID IT ROSE NEARLY STRAIGHT-UP AND DRIFTED GRADUALLY. ALSO, HE NOTICED NO UNUSUAL WEATHER CONDITIONS WHEN HE LANDED.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 685 hours in all; 95 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 655 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 95 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 95 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Volkswagen REVMASTER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CMA Camarillo CA at 9:00 am
- Destination: Suffolk VA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 33, 3,040 ft by 72 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 75 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 127°F (53°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:49 am from LAS, 85 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N1234 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.