Amateur-built ELITE accident near Tehachapi, California, November 21, 1987
On November 21, 1987 at about 9:30 pm local time, a amateur-built ELITE (gyroplane), registered N333JE, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tehachapi, California (Fantasy Haven 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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 21, 1987 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Tehachapi, California · Fantasy Haven · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built ELITE
- Registration
- N333JE · registry record · serial JI1-263
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HOMEBUILT GYROPLANE BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE DURING TAKE-OFF ROLL ON RUNWAY 27R. THE AIRCRAFT PITCHED UP AND THEN ROLLED ON ITS LEFT SIDE. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE REPORTED THE WINDS IN THE AREA AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT TO BE FROM 290 DEGREES AT 12-15 KNOTS. THE PILOT INDICATED IN HIS STATEMENT THAT HE BELIEVED HE ENCOUNTERED CYCLONIC WIND PHENOMENA KNOWN AS 'DUST DEVILS.'
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,526 hours in all; 16 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 2,407 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, August 17, 1987; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 600 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 532 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27R, 5,190 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 55°F (13°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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX88DUQ02.