# NTSB DEN88DTM03: Falco F8L, N69WD, Grantsville, UT, August 7, 1988

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Final report
- Date: August 7, 1988, 07:20 local (13:20 UTC)
- Place: Grantsville, UT
- Coordinates: 40.669559, -112.759552 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.6696&lon=-112.7596&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 2 fatal
- Status: Completed, report October 2, 1989
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 17335
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN88DTM03
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/17335/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN88DTM03

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of control - in flight, cruise
  - airspeed - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - stall/spin - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause)
  - lack of total experience in type of aircraft, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - lack of recent total experience, pilot in command (contributing factor)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled

## Analysis

THIS ACDT INVOLVED A HOMEBUILT, SIDE-BY-SIDE, TWO PLACE, LOW WING, HIGH PERFORMANCE AIRCRAFT. THE PURPOSE OF THE FLT WAS TO VISIT AN AIRSHOW AT WENDOVER. THE WEATHER WAS REPORTED TO BE CLEAR WITH LIGHT WINDS. RADAR TRACK DATA SHOWED THE ACFT TRACKED STRAIGHT AND LEVEL TO THE ACDT SITE AT 7,500 FT MSL (2,900 FT AGL). THE TRACK WAS STRAIGHT AND LEVEL ON ONE SWEEP AND WAS NOT SEEN ON THE NEXT SWEEP. THE ACDT SITE WAS IN LEVEL, OPEN DESERT TERRAIN. THERE WERE NO WITNESSES. EXAM OF THE SITE AND WRECKAGE REVEAL EVIDENCE SUGGESTING A STALL/SPIN TYPE OF IMPACT. EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE DID NOT REVEAL ANY EVIDENCE OF A PREIMPACT FAILURE OR DEFICIENCY OF THE AIRFRAME OR ENG. THE PLT RECEIVED A .4 HR CHECKOUT IN THE ACFT THE DAY BEFORE THE ACDT AND HAD LOGGED A TOTAL OF 1.4 HRS IN THE ACFT. HIS LOGBOOK SHOWED 1.4 HRS TOTAL TIME SINCE DECEMBER 29, 1987.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N69WD](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N69WD-1990-07-19), registration cancelled 1990-07-19, S/N 622 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: FALCO F8L
- Registry model: [Taylor-Garn FALCO F.8L](https://openairdocs.org/model/taylor-garn-falco-f-8l) (registry code 0566065) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: 622
- Airframe hours: 147
- Engines: LYCOMING O-360 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Bruce A. Pounder
- Registered owner: Daniel R. Garn
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Annual, May 27, 1988, 47 hours before
- Departed: SLC, SALT LAKE CITY, UT
- Destination: ENV, WENDOVER, UT

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 41; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 428 total, 1 in this make and model, 386 as pilot in command, 1 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 90° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 59 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: SLC, 40 nm away

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19880807031419A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19880807031419A), Aug 7, 1988: Aermer FALCOF8L, Grantsville, UT, Destroyed, 2 fatal. Crashed in desert at a steep angle. No evidence of any malfunction. May have stalled aircraft. Had one hour in type

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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