Davis MIDGET MUSTANG accident near Kirkland, Arizona, July 3, 1987
On July 3, 1987 at about 7:58 pm local time, a Davis MIDGET MUSTANG, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N7SD, was destroyed in an accident near Kirkland, Arizona. 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
- July 3, 1987 · about 7:58 pm local time
- Place
- Kirkland, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Davis MIDGET MUSTANG MIDGET MUS, amateur-built
- Registration
- N7SD · no longer on the register · serial 762
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A LOW LEVEL AEROBATIC FLIGHT, THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN AFTER COMPLETING A ROLL. THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS REPORTED. THE PLT PERFORMED THE LAST ROLL IN VIEW OF TWO FRIENDS DRIVING IN A CAR NEAR THE ACC SCENE. SEVERAL MANEUVERS WERE PERFORMED OVER THE CAR AND DURING THE RECOVERY FROM THE LAST ROLL THE FRIENDS SAW THE ACFTS BELLY HIT THE GROUND. THE AIRPLANE HIT A 4 FT DEEP DEPRESSION IN 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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,200 hours in all; 180 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,250 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PRC Prescott AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 14 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:52 pm from PRC, 22 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.