Amateur-built OSPREY 2 accident near Joshua Tree, California, February 22, 1993
On February 22, 1993 at about 7:00 pm local time, a amateur-built OSPREY 2, registered N186S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Joshua Tree, California (Hi-Desert airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT FLYING TO ATTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED FOR LIFT OFF AND THE RESULTING INADVERTENT STALL MUSH CONDITION DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 22, 1993 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Joshua Tree, California · Hi-Desert · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built OSPREY 2
- Registration
- N186S · no longer on the register · serial 831
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT BUILDER WAS FLYING THE AIRCRAFT FROM THE RIGHT SEAT AND PROVIDING FAMILIARIZATION TRAINING TO A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WHO WAS TO TEACH THE NEW AIRCRAFT OWNER HOW TO FLY THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOTS SAID THAT THE GROUND ROLL AND ROTATION WERE NORMAL AND THE AIRCRAFT LIFTED OFF THE RUNWAY AT ABOUT 60 KNOTS. BOTH PILOTS STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WOULD NOT CLIMB ABOVE 10 FEET AGL AND IT SETTLED BACK TO THE GROUND OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND COLLIDED WITH SOME BRUSH AND THE TERRAIN. BOTH PILOTS STATED THAT THE WINDS WERE CALM AT THE TIME OF THE ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF AND THERE WAS NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OF EITHER THE AIRCRAFT OR ENGINE. THE AIRCRAFT BUILDER STATED THAT AT THE GROSS WEIGHT AND OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE CONDITIONS EXISTING AT THE TIME THE AIRCRAFT SHOULD HAVE HAD A RATE OF CLIMB OF ABOUT 800 FEET PER MINUTE.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,350 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 3,190 as pilot in command; 2,740 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 220 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 30, 1993; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,560 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A3B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L80 at 7:00 pm
- Destination: L80
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 2,650 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 N186S 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.