# Accident 20050921020869A: Amtr VANSRV4, Kernville, CA, September 21, 2005

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 21, 2005, 08:00 local time
- Place: Kernville, CA
- Airport: Kern Valley Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.7283° N, 118.4197° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.7283&lon=-118.4197&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3882N, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3882N-2017-06-21) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Thomas John L VANS RV-4 (registry code 05608T5, https://openairdocs.org/model/thomas-john-l-vans-rv-4) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMTR VANSRV4
- Reported engine: LYC O320*
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 3,600 total, 300 in this make and model, 20 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX05LA309](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX05LA309) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050921020869A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) AFTER TAKEOFF FROM RUNWAY 17 AT L05, THE ENGINE FAILED. THE AIRCRAFT HAD CLIMBED TO APPROXIMATELY 40 FEET ABOVE THE RUNWAY AND HAD USED APPROX 1/2 OF THE 3500' RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED ON THE RUNWAY APPROX 150 FEET FROM THE END AND IMPACTED ROCKS PRIOR TO GOING OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY WHICH HAS A SHARP DROP OFF. IT BECAME AIRBORNE AGAIN AND LANDED IN SOFT DIRT APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET FROM THE RUNWAY APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET BELOW IT. THE PILOT SUFFERED A SERIOUS HEAD INJURY POSSIBLY DUE TO AN UNSECURED TOOL BOX IN THE REAR SEAT (LOOSE TOOLS WERE FOUND THROUGHOUT THE CABIN). THE AIRCRAFT SUFFERED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THERE WAS FUEL IN THE RIGHT TANK BUT NO FUEL IN THE LEFT TANK. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS FOUND IN THE POSITION OF THE EMPTY TANK. INVESTIGATION FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL CONTAMINATION. THERE WERE NO OTHER INDICATIONS OF MECHANICAL PROBLEMS.

## 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 LAX05LA309](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX05LA309), Sep 21, 2005: Thomas RV4 (N3882N), Kernville, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation caused by the pilot's failure to select a tank containing fuel for takeoff. A factor in the accident was the lack of a runway overrun area beyond the…

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.