Amateur-built FOCKE-WULF-190 accident near Placerville, California, September 8, 1989
On September 8, 1989 at about 7:53 pm local time, a amateur-built FOCKE-WULF-190, registered N34FW, was destroyed in an accident near Placerville, California (Placerville airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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 WING FAILED DUE TO DELAMINATION CAUSED BY ADHESIVE SEPARATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 8, 1989 · about 7:53 pm local time
- Place
- Placerville, California · Placerville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built FOCKE-WULF-190 FOCKE-WULF
- Registration
- N34FW · no longer on the register · serial 225
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AMATEUR BUILT ACFT DEPARTED ON THE SECOND TEST FLIGHT. THE PILOT CIRCLED THE AIRPORT AND THEN ENTERED INTO A NOSE DOWN MANEUVER. DURING THE DESCENT BOTH WINGS FOLDED UPWARDS AND THEN AFT. THE AIRPLANE CRASHED, UNCONTROLLED, INTO AN OPEN FIELD. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE DISCLOSED THE COMPOSITE MATERIAL DELAMINATED DUE TO ADHESIVE FAILURE.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,600 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, August 19, 1989; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,100 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 4,200 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from AFB
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.