Ruppercht VARIEZE N393D

Summary

On 2 September 1989 at about 07:00 local time, a Ruppercht VARIEZE registered N393D was involved in an accident near California City, California, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 September 1989 at 07:00

Classification

Accident

Location

California City, California, United States

Coordinates

35.1496, -117.9201

Aircraft

Ruppercht VARIEZE

Registration

N393D

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX89DUQ05

2 people died.

THE WING FAILED DUE TO THE PILOT/OWNERS OVERTORQUING THE WING BOLTS AND THE IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE WING ATTACH PLATES/CONES.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PIC/OWNER/BUILDER DEPARTED CALIFORNIA CITY, CA, ON A LOCAL PERSONAL FLIGHT. A GND WITNESS REPORTED THE AIRPLANE WAS AT A HIGH ALTITUDE IN LEVEL FLIGHT WHEN SUDDENLY THE WINGS FOLDED. THE AIRPLANE THEN DESCENDED OUT OF CONTROL INTO A LAKE BED. WRECKAGE EXAMINATION DISCLOSED THAT ONE SET OF THE WING ATTACHMENT PLATE TAPER CONES AND THE RETAINING BOLTS WERE MISSING. THE REMAINING TAPER CONES WERE NOT SEATED PROPERLY AND THE RETAINING BOLTS WERE STRETCHED AND NECKED DOWN WHICH ARE CHARTERISTIC OF OVERTORQUING. THE REMAINING BOLTS APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN OVERTORQUED IN ORDER TO SEAT THEIR RESPECTIVE ATTACH CONES.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.