20030809020349A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Amtr SKYBOLT · Mt Hamilton, CA · August 9, 2003

Date: August 9, 2003 · 09:40 local
Place: Mt Hamilton, CA
Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N94PL
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX03LA255
Reported as: Amtr Skybolt
Reported engine: Continental IO470L
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,086 total95 in this make and model24 in the last 90 days

N94PLRegistration cancelled Aug 7, 2006 · Lefever-Paul SKYBOLTS/N 55118501 · Built 1979 Airframe modelLefever-Paul SKYBOLT Engine modelContinental GO-300 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) On August 09, 2003 at approximately 09:40 PDT an experimental Skybolt biplane N94PL lost power while in cruise flight at 5,500 feet MSL. The aircraft was enroute from lodi airport (1O3), lodi, CA to san martin/south county airport (Q99), san martin, CA. The pilot attempted a forced landing to a private dirt airstrip in isabelle valley, CA near mt. Hamilton, CA. The pilot was unable to glide to the runway and landed short in an open field next to the runway. The aircraft sustained substantial damage and the sole occupant received minor injuries. The flight was operated under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and no flight plan was filed.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON AUGUST 09, 2003 AT APPROXIMATELY 09:40 PDT AN EXPERIMENTAL SKYBOLT BIPLANE N94PL LOST POWER WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT 5,500 FEET MSL. THE AIRCRAFT WAS ENROUTE FROM LODI AIRPORT (1O3), LODI, CA TO SAN MARTIN/SOUTH COUNTY AIRPORT (Q99), SAN MARTIN, CA. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A FORCED LANDING TO A PRIVATE DIRT AIRSTRIP IN ISABELLE VALLEY, CA NEAR MT. HAMILTON, CA. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO GLIDE TO THE RUNWAY AND LANDED SHORT IN AN OPEN FIELD NEXT TO THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND THE SOLE OCCUPANT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE FLIGHT WAS OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. DAY VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB LAX03LA255Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportMt. Hamilton, CAThe pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision, which resulted in a loss of engine power.Aug 9, 2003 · Substantial damage