Amateur-built AERODROME FOKKER DR1 accident near Santa Ynez, California, February 21, 1986
On February 21, 1986 at about 9:50 pm local time, a amateur-built AERODROME FOKKER DR1, registered N50CH, was destroyed in an accident near Santa Ynez, California (Santa Ynez airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was 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
- February 21, 1986 · about 9:50 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Ynez, California · Santa Ynez · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AERODROME FOKKER DR1 AERODROME
- Registration
- N50CH · registry record · serial 7
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A HOMEBUILT AERODROME FOKKER DR1 CRASHED AFTER TAKEOFF. THE ACFT HAD BEEN IN STORAGE FOR OVER 5 YRS AND HAD JUST COMPLETED AN ANNUAL INSPECTION.THE FLT WAS A POST ANNUAL INSPECTION TEST FLT.THE PLT HAD EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE MAINTAINING AND FLYING HOMEBUILT ACFT AND BIPLANES, BUT HE HAD NEVER FLOWN A TRI-WING ACFT BEFORE. THE ACFT CLIMBED TO APPROXIMATELY 50 FT AFTER TAKEOFF AND MAINTAINED THAT ALT DOWN THE LENGTH OF THE RWY. AT THE END OF THE RWY THE ACFT BEGAN A SKIDDING LEFT TURN AND A CLIMB. WHILE IN THE TURN THE ACFT NOSE PITCHED DOWN AND THE ACFT DOVE INTO THE GROUND.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,245 hours in all; 1 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 12, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Warner SUPERSCARAB14 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IZA Santa Ynez CA at 9:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 2,800 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.