Amateur-built RV-3 accident near Lompoc, California, October 23, 1992
On October 23, 1992 at about 1:18 am local time, a amateur-built RV-3, registered N65JP, was destroyed in an accident near Lompoc, 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
THE FAILURE OF AN UNIDENTIFIED AIRFRAME OR COMPONENT SYSTEM FOR UNKNOWN REASONS AND THE RESULTING INFLIGHT FIRE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 23, 1992 · about 1:18 am local time
- Place
- Lompoc, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV-3
- Registration
- N65JP · no longer on the register · serial 523
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT RECENTLY PURCHASED THE EXPERIMENTAL HOME BUILT AIRPLANE. THE PILOT INDICATED TO AN ACQUAINTANCE THAT HE PLANNED TO FLY OVER THE WITNESS' HOUSE AND SHOW HIM HIS AIRPLANE. THE WITNESS REPORTED THAT HE OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE PERFORM A 120 DEGREE CLIMBING TURN WHICH WAS FOLLOWED BY AN ABRUPT LEFT CLIMBING TURN, AND THEN A FIRE WAS OBSERVED. OTHER WITNESSES REPORTED SEEING A FIRE AROUND BOTH WINGS, AND THEN THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED UNTIL COLLIDING WITH THE HARD GROUND IN A NOSE LOW PITCH ATTITUDE. A FIRE IMMEDIATELY ERUPTED WHICH FURTHER DESTROYED THE FRAGMENTED STRUCTURE. THE EVENT WHICH PRECIPITATED THE IN FLIGHT FIRE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE AIRPLANE'S SLIDE TYPE CANOPY, WHICH SMELLED OF SMOKE, WAS FOUND ABOUT 1 MILE FROM THE CRASH SITE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,300 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 1,100 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire in flight and on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.