- Date
- June 17, 2012, 16:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Adelanto, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N686KBFisher Harold R 320
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 4, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20120617014759A
- Case key
- 84040
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 clearance from a fence during takeoff initial climb. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to not use all of the runway distance available for takeoff and the high density altitude.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that he only used the 1,300-foot asphalt portion of the 5,100-foot runway because the dirt portion of the runway was rough and contained loose rocks. During takeoff from the asphalt surface, which was the area closest to the departure end of the runway, the airplane rotated at the normal takeoff speed; however, it did not climb as the pilot expected. Subsequently, the airplane struck a fence, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing and rudder, and then came to rest upright beyond the departure end of the runway. The pilot further reported that the airplane did not climb as he expected due to the high density altitude and the crosswind present at the time of the accident. Using weather conditions reported about 5 minutes before the accident and the airport elevation of 3,075 feet mean sea level (msl), the density altitude was about 6,389 feet.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he utilized the asphalt portion of the 5,100-foot long runway due to the dirt portion of the runway being rough and containing loose rocks. During takeoff from the 1,300-foot long asphalt surface, which was the area closest to the departure end of the runway, the airplane rotated at the normal takeoff speed, however, did not climb as he expected. Subsequently, the airplane struck a fence, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing and rudder and came to rest upright beyond the departure end of the runway. The pilot further reported that he felt the airplane did not climb due to the high density altitude and crosswind present at the time of the accident. Using reported weather conditions about five minutes prior to the accident and airport elevation of 3,075 feet mean sea level (msl), the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge calculated the density altitude to be about 6,389 feet.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N686KB
- Reported as
- Fisher Harold R 320
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 507
- Airframe hours
- 1,234
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A1A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Timothy and Nancy McCarron
- Registered owner
- Timothy and Nancy McCarron
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 29, 2011 · 65 hours before
- Departed
- 52CL · Adelanto, CA
- Destination
- Santa Barbara, CA
- Airport
- 52CL · Adelano Airport, runway 08, 5,100 × 100 ft, dirt
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
- 62
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 19, 2012
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 4,180 total · 61 in this make and model · 4,099 as pilot in command · 46 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 17 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 99 °F, dew point 25 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.94 inHg
- Observed at
- VCV, 5 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 26, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.8 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.