- Date
- July 28, 2007, 10:44 local (17:44 UTC)
- Place
- Redlands, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N8973ABeech C35
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 31, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20070728018519A
- Case key
- 66376
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
the pilot's failure to maintain an adequate airspeed, which resulted in a stall.
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.
Analysis
While on short final the pilot stalled the airplane and it impacted rough/uneven terrain. After the pilot announced his intention to land, another pilot radioed that he was preparing to takeoff on the same runway. The accident pilot said he slowed his airplane down to allow the other airplane to depart. He heard the stall warning horn, and then applied power in an attempt to maintain the airplane's speed and altitude above the ground. He lost control of the airplane, and it impacted the ground close to the approach end of the runway.
Factual narrative
On July 28, 2007, about 1044 Pacific daylight time, a Beech C35, N8973A, collided with terrain near Redlands Municipal Airport, Redlands, California. The pilot/owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The student pilot, the sole occupant, sustained minor injuries; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The local area flight departed Redlands about 1000. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.
In a statement to local law enforcement official, the pilot stated that he was flying in the pattern and had announced his intention to land on runway 26. Another pilot responded, indicating that he was preparing to depart from the same runway. The pilot stated that he then slowed the airplane down to allow the other airplane time to depart; he then heard the stall warning horn. The pilot reported that he 'attempted to accelerate' but was unable to maintain control, and stalled.
The airplane collided with terrain about 1/2 mile short of runway 26.
An FAA inspector responded to the accident scene to assess the damage. He reported that the left main landing gear had sheared at its pivot point and had protruded through the top wing skin. The right main landing gear had buckled at its spar mounting points, and the nose landing gear had snapped at the oleo strut. The lower portion of the firewall was split and buckled. Both wings exhibited buckled skins between the wing root and the main landing gear.
A review of the FAA airman records revealed that the pilot held a combined student pilot and aviation medical certificate. The date on the medical certificate indicated it had been issued on July 16, 2002.
The pilot submitted a partially completed Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2).
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8973A
- Reported as
- Beech C35
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- D-2727
- Airframe hours
- 5,600
- Engine
- Continental E185, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Jack A. Buhl
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 1, 2007
- Departed
- L12 · Redlands, CA
- Airport
- L12 · Redlands Municipal Airport, runway 26, 4,505 × 75 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
- 83
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,680 total · 200 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- RAL, 17 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N8973A · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.