Amateur-built EMERAUDE accident near Watsonville, California, August 14, 1989
On August 14, 1989 at about 6:00 pm local time, a amateur-built EMERAUDE, registered N82D, was destroyed in an accident near Watsonville, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
AN INADEQUATE FUEL LINE, DUE TO IMPROPER INSTALLATION BY THE OWNER/BUILDER, FUEL LINE FAILURE, FUEL LINE LEAK, AND A SUBSEQUENT FIRE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 14, 1989 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Watsonville, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built EMERAUDE
- Registration
- N82D · no longer on the register · serial 1456
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING AN APCH TO LND, THE PLT & PSGR NOTED SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT & SAW FLAMES COMING THRU THE FLOOR IN THE VCNTY OF THE PLT'S RUDDER PEDALS. A SAFE LNDG WAS MADE & THE CREW EGRESSED THE BURNING ACFT. THE HOME BUILT ACFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH PLASTIC FUEL LINES FROM THE CARBURETOR TO THE FUEL SCREEN ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE FIRE WALL. ALSO, PLASTIC FLEX LINES WERE (APPARENTLY) USED FROM THE BRAKE PEDALS TO THE BRAKE CYLINDERS. BOTH LINES WERE MELTED BY FIRE. THE FUSELAGE, WINGS & EMPENNAGE WERE DESTROYED BY FIRE.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 520 hours in all; 16 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 70 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1989; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:00 pm from SNS, 18 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.