Amateur-built SPITFIRE II accident near Elk Grove, California, April 5, 1991
On April 5, 1991 at about 5:59 pm local time, a amateur-built SPITFIRE II, registered UNREG, was destroyed in an accident near Elk Grove, California. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE OPERATOR TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 5, 1991 · about 5:59 pm local time
- Place
- Elk Grove, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SPITFIRE II SPITFIRE I
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE NON-CERTIFICATED OWNER OF A NON-CERTIFICATED, NON-REGISTERED AIRPLANE, AND A NON-CERTIFICATED PASSENGER WERE MANEUVERING TO LAND AT AN AIRPORT DURING A FLIGHT IN WHICH THE PASSENGER WAS REPORTEDLY TEACHING THE OWNER HOW TO FLY. THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED TO STALL AND DESCEND TO THE GROUND IN A RIGHT TURN FROM AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 150 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. BOTH OCCUPANTS RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE AIRPLANE IS SIMILAR TO AN ULTRALIGHT VEHICLE BUT DOES NOT MEET THE ULTRALIGHT DEFINITION. BOTH OCCUPANTS DO NOT POSSESS AIRMAN OR MEDICAL CERTIFICATES.
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
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Bombardier ROTEX 503 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: ovct
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under UNREG the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.