Wittman Tailwind W-8 accident near Chino, California, November 26, 1989
On November 26, 1989, a Wittman Tailwind W-8, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N77DR, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chino, California (Chino airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 26, 1989
- Place
- Chino, California · Chino · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Wittman Tailwind W-8, amateur-built · all W-8s on the register
- Registration
- N77DR · registry record · serial 270
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF A HOMEBUILT AIRPLANE REPORTED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH. THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF FUEL PRESENT AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF AN ENGINE MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION.
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: 555 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 475 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 462 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 6, 1989; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 3,856 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.
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 LAX90DUG02.