# Accident 20130824022519A: Golding Robert D TBIRDII, Bakersfield, CA, August 24, 2013 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: August 24, 2013, 12:15 local time - Place: Bakersfield, CA - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: Climb - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 35.2117° N, 119.1075° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.2117&lon=-119.1075&mi=10 - Aircraft: N31683, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N31683-2018-03-05) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Golding Robert D TBIRDII (registry code 059013J, https://openairdocs.org/model/golding-robert-d-tbirdii) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Rotax 912UL series (registry code 55571, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912ul-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: GOLDING ROBERT D TBIRDII - Reported engine: ROTAX 912UL - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 2 - Pilot certificates: Private pilot - Pilot flight hours: 423 total, 1 in this make and model, 42 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR13LA385](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13LA385) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130824022519A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS INTERESTED IN PURCHASING N31683 FROM STUDENT PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. HE FLEW IN TO L45 ALONG WITH A CFI AND ANOTHER FRIEND. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ PICKED THEM UP AND DROVE THE PARTY TO HIS RURAL PROPERTY WHERE THE PLANE AND ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ PRIVATE STRIP WAS LOCATED. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THAT DURING THE DRIVE HE DISCUSSED HIS FLIGHT EXPERIENCE AS A STUDENT PILOT AND DISCUSSED THE FACT THERE WERE POWERLINES NEAR HIS PROPERTY. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ REMEMBERS ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DISCUSSING HIS FLIGHT EXPERIENCE IN SIMILIA AIRCRAFT, BUT DOES NOT RECALL ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATING HE WAS A STUDENT PILOT OR ANYTHING ABOUT POWERLINES. AFTER EXAMINING THE PLANE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ASKED ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ IF HE WANTED TO FLY IT. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ THEN STATED THAT THE CFI, WHO WAS IN ATTENDANCE, DISCUSSED WITH ALL CONCERNED THAT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WOULD HAVE TO BE THE PIC FOR THE FLIGHT, AS ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS NOT A RATED PILOT. THIS WAS UNDERSTOOD AND AGREED TO BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ BY A HEAD NOD, ACCORDING TO ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AFTER A TAKEOFF AND CLIMB TO APPROX. 1000' CONDUCTED BY MR. STAIB, HE TURNED THE FLIGHT CONTROLS OVER TO ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. AFTER SOME AIRWORK ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED HE WANTED TO FLY OVER THE CFI AND OTHER FRIEND WHO WERE ON THE GROUND BACK AT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AIRSTRIP. ON APPROACH (IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION OF THE TAKEOFF) ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ POINTED OUT POWERLINES RUNNING PARALLEL TO THE AIRSTRIP. AFTER THE LOW APPROACH ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THAT HE POINTED OUT ADDITIONAL POWERLINES IN THE DEPARTURE PATH. THEY CLEARED A FIRST SET BUT THEN STRUCK A SECOND SET THAT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED HE DID NOT SEE INITIALLY. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ REMEMBER'S SEEING ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HAND ON THE THROTTLE AND HEARING AN AUDIBLE POWER REDUCTION. UPON BECOMING AWARE OF A SECOND POWERLINE, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THAT EVEN THOUGH HE ADVANCED THE THROTTLE APPROXIMATELY AN INCH (WITH NO AUDIBLE POWER CHANGE) HE WAS AWARE THE ENGINE WAS NOT DEVELOPING ENOUGH POWER TO CLEAR IT. NOT BEING FAMILIAR WITH THE PLANE, ITS CONTROLS, IN ADDITION TO FLYING FROM THE RIGHT SEAT, HE MAY HAVE MOVED THE THROTTLE CONTROL IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION JUST BEFORE STRIKING THE WIRE, IN AN ILL-FATED ATTEMPT TO GET MORE POWER. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THAT HE THEN RELINQUISHED THE FLIGHT CONTROLS TO ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. HE REMEMBERS THE PLANE THEN WENT INTO A STEEP DESCENT, IN WHAT HE ASSUMES WAS A COMMANDED EFFORT BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ TO FLY BELOW THE POWERLINE. THE PLANE STRUCK THE SECOND POWERLINE CAUSING IT TO CRASH IN THE CORN FIELD BELOW. A POST CRASH FIRE ENSUED. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ASSISTED ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ OUT OF THE WRECKAGE BEFORE THE FIRE ENGULFED THE COCKPIT. ## 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 WPR13LA385](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13LA385), Aug 24, 2013: Robert Golding Tbirdii (N31683), Bakersfield, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The failure of the two pilots to adequately planflight, particularly regarding their roles and responsibilities, which resulted in their failure to maintain sufficient altitude to clear power lines… 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.