Progress Aero R&D DISCOVERY accident near Chualar, California, July 2, 1989
On July 2, 1989 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Progress Aero R&D DISCOVERY, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N81D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chualar, California. 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT'S INADVERTENT ENTRY INTO A NON-RECOVERABLE FLAT SPIN DURING A SLOW AIRSPEED TEST; THE AERODYNAMIC CHARACTERISTICS THAT PRODUCED THE SPIN WERE NOT DETERMINED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 2, 1989 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Chualar, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Progress Aero R&D DISCOVERY, amateur-built
- Registration
- N81D · registry record · serial 101
- 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 EXPERIMENTAL COMPOSITE STRUCTURED ACFT WAS ON A TEST FLT. DRG A SLOW AIRSPEED TEST, IT ENTERED A FLAT SPIN FROM WHICH THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO RECOVER BY USING NORMAL CONTROLS. THE ACFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH A BALLISTIC PARACHUTE. THE PLT DEPLOYED THE CHUTE & SHUT DOWN THE ENG. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN WITH A PARACHUTE DESCENT RATE OF ABOUT 1800 FT/MIN. DRG TOUCHDOWN, THE PLT SUFFERED NECK & BACK INJURIES. HE RPRTD THAT DRG THE FLT, ALL FLT CONTROL SURFACES RESPONDED NORMALLY TO HIS CONTROL INPUTS. THE AERODYNAMIC CHARACTERISTICS WHICH PRODUCED THE SPIN WERE NOT IDENTIFIED.
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, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 12,000 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 175 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 11,000 as pilot in command; 3,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 50 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 1989; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MRY Monterey CA at 8:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 125° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 32.00 inHg
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.