- Date
- July 20, 1990, 12:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Fall River Mill, CA
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N78EJE.J. Novotny Steen Skybolt
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 14, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900720027739A
- Case key
- 26580
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
Loss of power for undetermined reasons.
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
The pilot of the homebuilt aircraft collided with the terrain shortly after takeoff. Several ground witnesses heard the engine 'missing' prior to the accident. Examination of the engine revealed no evidence of a mechanical malfunction. The aircraft was refueled with 100 low lead prior to takeoff. The density attitude was calculated at about 6200 feet.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N78EJ
- Reported as
- E.J. Novotny Steen Skybolt (STEEN SKYB)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 001
- Airframe hours
- 700
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-K1A5, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Edward J. Novotny, Sr.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 30, 1990 · 10 hours before
- Departed
- AWN · Auburn, CA
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
- 37
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 410 total · 12 in this make and model · 350 as pilot in command · 34 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 95 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- RDD, 50 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.