Rietman WIDGET N3881D

Summary

On 2 May 1983 at about 17:50 local time, a Rietman WIDGET registered N3881D was involved in an accident near Yreke, California, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

2 May 1983 at 17:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Yreke, California, United States

Coordinates

41.7510, -122.6695

Aircraft

Rietman WIDGET

Registration

N3881D

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

LAX83FVG11

1 person died.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

AFTER TAKEOFF THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED TO CLIMB TO ABOUT 7,000-8,000 FT MSL & ENTER A SLOW FLAT SPIN. 8 TURNS WERE COUNTED & THE ACFT DID NOT RECOVER. THE PLT BAILED OUT OF THE ACFT AT ABOUT 500-600 FT BUT THE PARACHUTE DID NOT HAVE TIME TO FULLY DEPLOY. THE RIGHT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER & ELEVATOR HAD BROKEN LOOSE & ONLY FABRIC HELD IT TO THE EMPENNAGE. BOTH THE FORWARD & REAR SPARS WERE BROKEN AT A POINT WHERE THE ATTACHING BOLTS GO THROUGH THE SPARS. THE FORWARD SPAR WAS 1/2 INCH THICK & DRILLED WITH A 1/4 INCH DRILL TO ACCOMMODATE THE 1/4 INCH MOUNTING BOLT. THE HOLE WAS NOT CENTERED IN THE SPAR & THE HOLE HAD RUN OUT THE SIDE OF THE SPAR. THE REAR SPAR WAS 1 INCH THICK & THE 1/4 INCH HOLE WAS ALSO DRILLED OFF-CENTER.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.