Amateur-built Pulsar XP accident near Prineville, Oregon, July 4, 2002
On July 4, 2002 at about 3:45 pm local time, a amateur-built Pulsar XP, registered N777XP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Prineville, Oregon (Prineville airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The disconnection of the throttle cable on landing resulting in the aircraft's engine going to full throttle and the pilot's subsequent failure to maintain directional control after securing the engine during the landing event.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 2002 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Prineville, Oregon · Prineville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Pulsar XP
- Registration
- N777XP · registry record · serial 372
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the homebuilt Welborn Pulsar XP reported that upon arrival at the Prineville airport he conducted a successful touch and go to runway 28. During the second landing the throttle cable disconnected and the throttle went to full power. The aircraft bounced back into the air and then returned to the runway surface, and the pilot then shut the engine down as the aircraft began veering left. The pilot was unable to prevent the aircraft from departing the runway at which time all three landing gear collapsed. Local winds were reported as 020 degrees at 5 knots.
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
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 447 hours in all; 377 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 447 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 17, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 395 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 2002; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,060 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Prineville OR at 3:30 pm
- Destination: S39 Prineville OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 5,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 3:56 pm from RDM, 11 miles away
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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 SEA02LA120.