# Accident 20030307002939A: Cessna 172L, Rosamond, CA, March 7, 2003 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: March 7, 2003, 14:55 local time - Place: Rosamond, CA - Airport: Skyotee Ranch Airport - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct) - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 34.8167° N, 118.4008° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.8167&lon=-118.4008&mi=10 - Aircraft: N19770, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N19770-2004-07-06) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 172L (registry code 2072432, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172l) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172L - Reported engine: LYC O360* - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 2 - Pilot flight hours: 510 total - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX03FA109](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX03FA109) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030307002939A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19) ON MARCH 7, 2003, AT 1500 PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA 172L, N19770, COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN NEAR ROSAMOND, CALIFORNIA. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED BY KERN CHARTER SERVICE, INC., AND RENTED BY THE PRIVATE PILOT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED IN THE POSTIMPACT FIRE. THE PILOT AND A PASSENGER SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. THE PERSONAL CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT DEPARTED BAKERSFIELD MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (L45), BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA, ABOUT 1400, WITH AN EN ROUTE STOP AT SKYOTEE AIRPORT (CL74), ROSAMOND. THE FLIGHT'S DESTINATION WAS THE LAUGHLIN/BULLHEAD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (IFP), BULLHEAD CITY, ARIZONA. DAY VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES IN THE AREA, THEY HEARD THE AIRPLANE TAKEOFF, AND THEN A LOUD "BANG." THEY PROCEEDED TO THE CRASH SITE AND ATTEMPTED TO ASSIST THE OCCUPANTS; HOWEVER, THE AIRPLANE WAS ON FIRE AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO GET NEAR THE AIRPLANE. SKYOTEE RANCH AIRPORT IS A PRIVATE DIRT AIRSTRIP WITH POWER LINES LOCATED ABOUT 100 FEET FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS LOCATED 1/4 MILE SOUTHWEST FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY IN AN ALFALFA FIELD. THE SURROUNDING AREA IS A FARMING COMMUNITY. THE FIRST OBSERVED POINT OF CONTACT (IPI) CONTAINED WHITE LENS FRAGMENTS AND A PORTION OF THE RIGHT AILERON. ADJACENT TO THE AILERON WAS RED LENS FRAGMENTS. ABOUT 35 FEET FROM THE IPI WAS A SMALL HOLE WITH PROPELLER BLADE STRIKES ON EITHER SIDE OF IT. ON THE SOUTHERN SIDE OF THE HOLE WAS AN IMPRESSION IN THE GROUND THE LENGTH OF A WING. AT THE END OF THE IMPRESSION WERE GREEN LENS FRAGMENTS. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST RIGHT SIDE UP, 140 FEET FROM THE IPI. THE EMPENNAGE CAME TO REST ON A NORTHERLY HEADING. THE COCKPIT AND ENGINE CAME TO REST ON AN EASTERLY HEADING. THE LEFT WING CAME TO REST NEXT TO THE FUSELAGE AND ENGINE. THE RIGHT WING CAME TO REST UPSIDE DOWN NEAR THE TAIL. AN ENGINE TEARDOWN WAS CONDUCTED AT AIRCRAFT RECOVERY SERVICES IN LITTLEROCK, CALIFORNIA, ON MARCH 9, 2003. THE POSTIMPACT FIRE DESTROYED THE COMPONENTS AND ACCESSORY CASE. THE TOP SPARK PLUGS WERE REMOVED AND SHOWED EVIDENCE OF HEAVY SOOTING. NO DISCREPANCIES WERE NOTED DURING THE TEARDOWN OF THE ENGINE. (-23) AT 1455 PST ON FRIDAY 03/07/03, GARRICK BALLANTINE, ACTING AS PILOT IN COMMAND OF A CESSNA 172L, N19770, DEPARTED SKYOTEE (CL74) A 2600 FOOT LON G DIRT (SAND AND SEMI-ROUGH) RUNWAY 25 FOR A VFR FLIGHT TO IFP (LAUGHLIN/BULLHEAD CITY AZ). THE TAKE OFF WAS INTO THE LATE AFTERNOON SUN AND A 20 KNOT WEST WIND OVER A 30 FOOT HIGH POWER LINE. (THERE WAS NO WIRE STRIKE). THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST ABOUT 1/4 MILE SOUTH OF THE WEST END OF SKYOTEE. THERE WAS A POST POST IMPACT FIRE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) 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. - [NTSB LAX03FA109](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX03FA109), Mar 7, 2003: Cessna 172L (N19770), Rosamond, CA, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: the pilot's failure to maintain an adequate airspeed during the takeoff initial climb, which resulted in a stall and impact with flat level terrain. Also causal was the pilot's impaired judgment due… ## Other reports on N19770 (2) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 19980906031229A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980906031229A), Sep 6, 1998: Cessna 172L (N19770), Bakersfield, CA, Substantial damage. Pilot misjudged the flare altitude adn stalled the aircraft approximately 20 feet above the runway. The pilot maintained control of the aircraft, but made a… - [Accident 19770528012839A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19770528012839A), May 28, 1977: Cessna 172L (N19770), Chinle, AZ, Substantial damage. Gusts to 25K. From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.