Amateur-built THUNDER GULL accident near Calif Valley, California, August 8, 1990
On August 8, 1990 at about 2:00 am local time, a amateur-built THUNDER GULL, registered N2223E, was destroyed in an accident near Calif Valley, California. It was a personal flight 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
POOR JUDGEMENT OF THE PILOT FROM USE OF A DRUG (COCAINE), AND THE PILOT ALLOWING THE DESIGN STRESS LIMITS OF THE AIRCRAFT TO BE EXCEEDED, WHILE MANEUVERING, WHICH RESULTED IN OVERLOAD FAILURE OF THE WING SPAR & WING SEPARATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 8, 1990 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Calif Valley, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built THUNDER GULL THUNDER GU
- Registration
- N2223E · no longer on the register · serial 912-1.5
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A WITNESS REPORTED THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLYING STRAIGHT AND LEVEL, THEN IT ENTERED AN ACCELERATING, DESCENDING, RIGHT TURN. THE WITNESS THEN SAW PART OF THE RIGHT WING SEPARATE FROM THE AIRCRAFT. A POST-ACCIDENT EXAMINTATION OF THE WRECKAGE DISCLOSED NO CONSTRUCTION, MATERIAL OR METALLURGICAL DEFECT. BASED ON THE COMPUTED GROSS WEIGHT, CENTER OF GRAVITY, AND TRIM POSTION AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE AIRCRAFT DESIGNER CALCULATED THE TRIM SPEED WAS 10 MPH OVER THE MAXIMUM DESIGNED VNE. TESTS OF THE PILOT'S BLOOD SHOWED A COCAINE LEVEL OF 2.2 MG/L AND BENZOYLECGONINE (METABOLITE OF COCAINE) AT 0.96 MG/L.
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: student
- Flight time: 63 hours in all; 46 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 48 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 52 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Santa Margarita CA at 11:15 pm
- Destination: 6L3 Calif Valley CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.