LAX06CA074

NTSB accident investigation · Avid Mark IV · California City, CA · December 30, 2005

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
December 30, 2005, 14:20 local (22:20 UTC)
Place
California City, CA
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Takeoff
Aircraft
N99BKAvid Mark IV
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report April 25, 2006
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
Federal Aviation Administration
FAA report
20051230031699A
Case key
63025

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

the pilot's inadequate compensation for the crosswind and failure to maintain directional control of the airplane on takeoff.

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

Loss of control - on ground/waterTakeoff - roll/run
Compensation for wind conditions - inadequatePilot in commandCause
Weather condition - crosswind
Directional control - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
On ground/water encounter with terrain/waterTakeoff - roll/run
Terrain condition - ground
Nose overTakeoff - roll/run

Analysis

The airplane nosed over after veering off the runway on takeoff. The pilot had a crosswind of 18 knots, gusting to 20 knots, from 30 degrees to his right. On the takeoff roll, the right wing and tail came up, pushing the airplane off the left side of the runway. The airplane nosed over when it entered the dirt. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures.

Factual narrative

On December 30, 2005, about 1420 Pacific standard time, an Avid Flyer Mark IV, N99BK, veered off the runway and nosed over at California City, California. The pilot was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The personal flight departed Rosamond, California, about 1300, with a planned stop in California City and a return to Rosamond. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.

In a written statement to the National Transportation Safety Board, the pilot stated that he was beginning his takeoff roll. He noticed that the winds had increased to 18 knots from 30 degrees right of runway heading. About 40 feet into his takeoff roll, the right wing and tail of the airplane came off the ground, despite the pilot holding full opposite aileron. The airplane veered off the left side of the runway into the dirt and nosed over.

Aircraft

Registration
N99BK
Reported as
Avid Mark IV
Category
Airplane, amateur-built
Serial number
1123
Airframe hours
48
Engine
Bombardier Rotax 582, 64 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
George B Ismael
Airworthiness certificate
Special, Experimental (Special)
Last inspection
Continuous airworthiness · November 1, 2005 · 48 hours before
Departed
L71 · California City, CA
Destination
L00 · Rosamond, CA
Airport
L71 · California City Muni, runway 24, 6,027 × 60 ft, asphalt

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
57
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 2
Last flight review
January 1, 2004
Seat
Left
Flight hours
1,263 total · 48 in this make and model · 1,152 as pilot in command · 48 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
280° at 18 knots, gusting 20
Visibility
50 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
73 °F, dew point 57 °F
Observed at
L71

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.