Amateur-built HS-1 accident near Rialto, California, May 27, 1989
On May 27, 1989 at about 6:26 pm local time, a amateur-built HS-1, registered N90HS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rialto, California (Rialto airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED, WHILE TURNING AFTER TAKEOFF, WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL/SPIN. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT BY TEST FLYING AN AIRPLANE THAT HE WAS NOT PROPERLY CERTIFICATED TO OPERATE, HIS LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE AIRCRAFT, AND OVERCONFIDENCE IN HIS PERSONAL ABILITY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 27, 1989 · about 6:26 pm local time
- Place
- Rialto, California · Rialto · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built HS-1
- Registration
- N90HS · registry record · serial N90HS
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT/CO-OWNER HAD ONLY A GLIDER CERTIFICATE, BUT HE ELECTED TO FLY THE HOME BUILT AIRPLANE ON ITS MAIDEN FLIGHT. AFTER DEPARTING ON RUNWAY 24, HE INITIATED A RIGHT TURN ABOUT 3/4 MILE WEST OF THE AIRPORT. WHILE TURNING AT ABOUT 200 FT AGL, THE AIRPLANE ENTERED A SPIN & IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A VERTICAL DESCENT. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE PILOT HAD ABOUT 82 HRS OF FLIGHT TIME, OF WHICH, APRX 25 HRS WERE IN SINGLE ENGINE AIRPLANES.
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: rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 82 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 24, 1989
- Maximum gross weight: 851 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Ital-American KFM-107E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L67 at 6:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 4,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from RAL, 11 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.
Other NTSB records under N90HS the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 LAX89DUG04.