Amateur-built RV-4 accident near San Andreas, California, July 21, 1990
On July 21, 1990 at about 4:05 pm local time, a amateur-built RV-4, registered N87CT, was destroyed in an accident near San Andreas, California (Calaveras CO. airport). It was a personal flight 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 FAILURE OF FOUR PROPELLER RETENTION BOLTS WHICH REQUIRED THE ENGINE TO BE SHUT DOWN. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S MISJUDGEMENT OF THE FORCED LANDING APPROACH.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 21, 1990 · about 4:05 pm local time
- Place
- San Andreas, California · Calaveras CO. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV-4
- Registration
- N87CT · registry record · serial CTB-1
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF A HOMEBUILT EXPERIENCED A SEVERE ENGINE VIBRATION DURING FLIGHT AND SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN PRIOR TO THE APPROACH. GROUND AND AIRBORNE WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT APPROACH THE FIELD FROM OVERHEAD. HE PROCEEDED TO LINE THE AIRCRAFT WITH THE RUNWAY AND THEN EXECUTED A 360 DEGREE TURN WHEN OVER THE RUNWAY AT AN ESTIMATED 100 TO 150 FEET. RUNWAY IS 3600 FEET LONG. DURING THE TURN THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A POWER LINE AND DESCENDED INTO THE GROUND SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE FOUND FOUR BROKEN PROPELLER BOLTS AND SEVERE BOLT AND BUSHING ELONGATION ON THE PROPELLER EXTENSION AND SPINNER BULKHEAD.
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: 450 hours in all; 25 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 400 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 115 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 20, 1990; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Q60 Fresno CA at 3:30 pm
- Destination: 070 Jackson CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 3,600 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 pm from MHR, 40 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.
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.