What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On September 16, 2009 the pilot of N326DW was performing a series of full stop landings at the Santa Paula Airport (szp). Runway 22 was in use. After the third full stop landing another take-off was performed from rwy 22. During the climb, the aircraft reached an altitude of 500 ft MSL (250 ft AGL) and a LH turn to crosswind was performed. Durng the turn from crosswind to downwind, the engine began to lose power. The pilot elected to perform an emergency landing straight forward into the river bed adjacent to szp. The aircraft impacted tall brush pror to touching down on a sand bar. The aircraft flipped over onto its back. Substantial damage occurred to the aircraft. Prior to exiting the aircraft, the pilot turned off the fuel selector, master switch, ignition switch and ELT. The pilot exited the cabin and made contact via cell phone to report the accident. The pilot received only minor injuries. The aircraft was on its back for approx. 4 hours prior to being up-righted. Fuel was drained from the aircraft. Approximately 5 gallons were drained from the RH fuel tank and just a small dribble of fuel drained from the LH fuel tank. There was only residual amount of fuel in the carburetor.
As the FAA filed it
ON SEPTEMBER 16, 2009 THE PILOT OF N326DW WAS PERFORMING A SERIES OF FULL STOP LANDINGS AT THE SANTA PAULA AIRPORT (SZP). RUNWAY 22 WAS IN USE. AFTER THE THIRD FULL STOP LANDING ANOTHER TAKE-OFF WAS PERFORMED FROM RWY 22. DURING THE CLIMB, THE AIRCRAFT REACHED AN ALTITUDE OF 500 FT MSL (250 FT AGL) AND A LH TURN TO CROSSWIND WAS PERFORMED. DURNG THE TURN FROM CROSSWIND TO DOWNWIND, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. THE PILOT ELECTED TO PERFORM AN EMERGENCY LANDING STRAIGHT FORWARD INTO THE RIVER BED ADJACENT TO SZP. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED TALL BRUSH PROR TO TOUCHING DOWN ON A SAND BAR. THE AIRCRAFT FLIPPED OVER ONTO ITS BACK. SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE OCCURRED TO THE AIRCRAFT. PRIOR TO EXITING THE AIRCRAFT, THE PILOT TURNED OFF THE FUEL SELECTOR, MASTER SWITCH, IGNITION SWITCH AND ELT. THE PILOT EXITED THE CABIN AND MADE CONTACT VIA CELL PHONE TO REPORT THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT RECEIVED ONLY MINOR INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON ITS BACK FOR APPROX. 4 HOURS PRIOR TO BEING UP-RIGHTED. FUEL WAS DRAINED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. APPROXIMATELY 5 GALLONS WERE DRAINED FROM THE RH FUEL TANK AND JUST A SMALL DRIBBLE OF FUEL DRAINED FROM THE LH FUEL TANK. THERE WAS ONLY RESIDUAL AMOUNT OF FUEL IN THE CARBURETOR.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.