Amateur-built GR-7 accident near Temecula, California, March 17, 1996
On March 17, 1996 at about 6:00 pm local time, a amateur-built GR-7, registered N555GR, was destroyed in an accident near Temecula, California (French Valley airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the pilot to maintain control of the airplane, while performing an aerobatic maneuver, which resulted in inadvertent entry into a spin. Factors relating to the accident were: the pilot's lack of recent experience in fixed wing aircraft, his lack of experience in the make and model of airplane, and the lack of altitude to recover from an inadvertent spin.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 17, 1996 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Temecula, California · French Valley
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built GR-7
- Registration
- N555GR · registry record · serial 001
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot had recently purchased the airplane, and reportedly, this was his first flight in the plane. Witnesses stated the airplane took off and climbed to about 2,000 feet agl in the traffic pattern. The airplane was observed to maneuver through a full right roll and recover; then it entered a 2-turn spin to the right. Witnesses said the spin stopped, then started again, this time to the left. The left spin continued to ground impact. No discrepancies were identified during an examination of the wreckage. The pilot was a military aviator assigned to fly Sikorsky CH53E helicopters. A review of available pilot records did not disclosed evidence of recent fixed-wing flight activity.
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, military
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,039 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 13 in the last 30 days; 839 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 93 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 15, 1996; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 750 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-90 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: F70 at 5:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 1.2 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 400 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from RIV, 22 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX96LA137.