Amateur-built BUSHBY MUSTANG II accident near Apple Valley, California, April 8, 2010
On April 8, 2010 at about 10:30 pm local time, a amateur-built BUSHBY MUSTANG II, registered N217AT, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Apple Valley, California (Apple Valley airport). It was an instructional 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 CFI's inability to overcome the improper control inputs of the private pilot, who was handling the flight controls, which resulted in their loss of directional control during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 8, 2010 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Apple Valley, California · Apple Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built BUSHBY MUSTANG II
- Registration
- N217AT · registry record · serial 168
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certified flight instructor (CFI) had previous experience flying the experimental, homebuilt airplane. He offered to provide the prospective airplane purchaser with a familiarization flight that included stalls and landings. The CFI demonstrated a couple of stalls to the student, who held a private pilot certificate and a tailwheel endorsement, and they then practiced landings. The CFI reported that he was monitoring the pilot's performance while the pilot was handling the controls. The CFI stated that the pilot's first landing was not satisfactorily performed, and the pilot almost lost control of the conventional gear airplane during rollout. The pilot reported that he had difficulty controlling the throttle, the design of which was unfamiliar to him. The pilot's second approach and 3-point touchdown appeared to be satisfactory; however, after the airplane rolled several hundred feet, the private pilot suddenly and abruptly applied left and right rudder pressure while moving the flight controls erratically. The CFI joined the pilot on the flight controls in an attempt at maintaining control. The CFI could not overcome the inputs of the private pilot and directional control was lost. The airplane's divergent rollout course was not corrected and the airplane exited off the left side of the runway and ground-looped. The airplane came to rest with collapsed landing gear and a bent wing.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 8,500 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 8,300 as pilot in command; 6,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 18, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 750 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 700 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 28, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 50 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 2010
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: APV Apple Valley CA at 9:45 pm
- Destination: APV Apple Valley CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 6,498 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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.