Amateur-built TURBULENT accident near Adelanto, California, November 7, 1992
On November 7, 1992 at about 11:30 pm local time, a amateur-built TURBULENT, registered N84766, was destroyed in an accident near Adelanto, 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 PILOT'S IMPROPER EMERGENCY DECISION TO ATTEMPT TO RETURN TO THE DEPARTURE AREA. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE UNDETERMINED LOSS OF POWER, INADEQUATE ALTITUDE, AND FAILURE TO MAINTAIN THE AIRSPEED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 7, 1992 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Adelanto, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built TURBULENT
- Registration
- N84766 · no longer on the register · serial RWS-2
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS DEPARTING A DRY LAKE BED ON A LOCAL FLIGHT. GROUND WITNESSES REPORTED THAT UPON REACHING BETWEEN 50 AND 60 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND THE ENGINE SUSTAINED A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER. INSTEAD OF LANDING STRAIGHT AHEAD IN THE OPEN AREA THE PILOT ELECTED TO EXECUTE A RIGHT TURN. THE AIRCRAFT STALLED DURING THE TURN AND PLUNGED NOSE DOWN INTO THE GROUND. THE ENGINE EXAMINATION DISCLOSED NO EVIDENCE OF ANY INTERNAL CATASTROPHIC FAILURES. THE AIRFRAME FUEL SYSTEM AND THE ENGINE ACCESSORIES WERE DESTROYED. THE AIRCRAFT'S MAINTENANCE RECORDS DISCLOSED THAT THE PILOT/OWNER/BUILDER HAD NOT PERFORMED ANY CONDITION INSPECTIONS AS REQUIRED BY CURRENT FEDERAL AIR REGULATIONS SINCE IT RECEIVED ITS SPECIAL EXPERIMENTAL AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE ON OCT 22, 1986. THE PILOT'S RECORDS WERE NOT RECOVERED. ACCORDING TO THE FAA, THE PILOT RECEIVED HIS LAST SECOND CLASS MEDICAL CERTIFICATE ON DECEMBER 27, 1990. HE INDICATED ON THE MEDICAL APPLICATION FORM THAT HE HAD ACCRUED 430 HOURS. THE AIRCRAFT LOG BOOK REVEALED THAT THE PILOT HAD FLOWN THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT FOR 5 HOURS AND 12 MINUTES.
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
- Flight time: 430 hours in all; 5 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, October 22, 1986; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 623 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Volkswagen (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- 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.