Amateur-built SIDEWINDER "S" accident near Tracy, California, April 28, 1985
On April 28, 1985 at about 6:00 am local time, a amateur-built SIDEWINDER "S", registered N9008X, was destroyed in an accident near Tracy, California (Tracy Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were 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
- April 28, 1985 · about 6:00 am local time
- Place
- Tracy, California · Tracy Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SIDEWINDER "S" SIDEWINDER
- Registration
- N9008X · no longer on the register · serial 212409
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CRASHED SHORT OF RWY 25 AT TRACY, CA, WHILE ON A NIGHT APCH FOR LANDING. A GROUND WITNESS OBSERVED THE ACFTS LIGHTS DESCENDING STRAIGHT DOWN INTO A GRAVEL PIT. THE ACFT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A 20 DEG NOSE DOWN, 15 DEG LEFT ROLL ATTITUDE. THE RWY LIGHTS ARE ACTIVATED BY THE RADIO TRANSMITTER BEING KEYED ON FREQUENCY 122.8 MHZ. THE LIGHTS WILL STAY ILLUMINATED FOR 15 MINUTES AFTER ACTIVATION. THIS FREQUENCY WAS NOT DISPLAYED ON THE ACFTS RADIO PANEL.
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: 297 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 188 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 30, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: APC Napa CA
- Destination: 036 Tracy CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 3,418 ft by 25 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 260° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:00 am from LVK
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 N9008X 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.