Amateur-built FALCO F.8L accident near Watsonville, California, September 4, 1997
On September 4, 1997 at about 9:00 pm local time, a amateur-built FALCO F.8L, registered N84TX, was substantially damaged in an accident near Watsonville, California (Watsonville Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's misjudgment of distance and speed on final approach, leading to a landing undershoot.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 4, 1997 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Watsonville, California · Watsonville Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built FALCO F.8L
- Registration
- N84TX · registry record · serial 506
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The aircraft landed short of the runway in winds the pilot described as light and variable. According to the pilot, while on a stabilized final approach, 'indicated airspeed 80,' the 'aircraft settled directly to the ground.' He reported that the aircraft 'went flat down as though slammed in a subsiding air mass in a matter of seconds.' Also, he reported that the application of engine power did not arrest the descent. At the nearest weather reporting point, 19 miles southeast, the surface wind was 12 knots, and there was no convective weather in the area.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,500 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 1997; 1 hours since
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WVI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 4,501 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:45 pm from SNS, 19 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.