Amateur-built FALCON XP accident near Sebastopal, California, June 8, 1991
On June 8, 1991 at about 5:49 pm local time, a amateur-built FALCON XP, registered N9939M, was destroyed in an accident near Sebastopal, California. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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 STRUCTURAL FAILURE OF THE AIRPLANE'S CANARD WING. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WHICH RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S PERFORMANCE OF AN ADJUSTMENT TO THE RIGGING OF HIS AIRPLANE WHICH DETERIORATED ITS FLIGHT CHARACTERISTICS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 8, 1991 · about 5:49 pm local time
- Place
- Sebastopal, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built FALCON XP
- Registration
- N9939M · no longer on the register · serial 600203
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD MODIFIED THE RIGGING OF HIS EXPERIMENTAL CATEGORY AIRPLANE'S CANARD WING, AND ALSO PERFORMED OTHER ADJUSTMENTS TO THE AIRPLANE. THE PILOT INTENDED TO EVALUATE THE PERFORMANCE OF HIS MODIFIED AMATEUR BUILT AIRPLANE DURING THE TEST FLIGHT. THE PILOT CLIMBED TO 5000 FEET AGL, SLOWED TO 30 MPH AND ATTEMPTED TO TURN LEFT. THE AIRPLANE STALLED, ENTERED A SPIN AND THE WING FAILED.
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: 252 hours in all; 124 in this make and model; 183 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 1,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Bombardier ROTAX 503 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: O01 Santa Rosa CA at 5:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.