- Date
- August 6, 1990, 13:45 local (20:45 UTC)
- Place
- Willows, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N840DKDon G. Kaye RV-3
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 23, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900806030449A
- Case key
- 26582
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 pilots failure to maintain directional control on the runway after experiencing a loss of engine power.
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 this homebuilt experienced a loss of engine power shortly after takeoff. After landing on the runway the pilot encountered tailwind and the aircraft departed the runway and nosed over. Examination of the engine revealed no evidence of a mechanical malfunction. The aircraft was operating with automotive gasoline. The outside air temperature was 107 degrees.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N840DK
- Reported as
- Don G. Kaye RV-3
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 840
- Airframe hours
- 118
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Kaye, Don G.
- Registered owner
- Kaye, Don George
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 28, 1989
- Destination
- 307 · Hollister, CA
- Airport
- WLW · Willows-Glenn, runway 34, 4,506 × 100 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
- 45
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 300 total · 100 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 108 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CIC, 21 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.