- Date
- May 26, 2014, 13:40 local (20:40 UTC)
- Place
- Tehachapi, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N34341Meyers OTW 160
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 14, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20140526008109A
- Case key
- 89275
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 directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in a runway excursion and subsequent collision with a fence.
Findings · 4
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 stated that he and his pilot rated passenger were in the pattern doing touch-and-go landings when he decided to demonstrate the procedures for a return to airport simulating a loss of engine power after takeoff (downwind landing). At 400 feet the pilot reduced power to idle and executed a 45-degree right turn back towards the runway. The airplane touched down on the main gear about halfway down the runway and immediately swerved to the left. The pilot applied full right brake and rudder control. The left wheel exited the runway on the north side. The pilot was able to maneuver the airplane back onto the runway and realized that the airplane was heading towards the drainage ditch off the end of the runway. With about 1,000 feet of runway left he applied full power and set best climb attitude, but the airplane was not able to clear the fence at the airport perimeter resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage and wings. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that he and his pilot rated passenger were in the pattern doing touch-and-go landings when he decided to demonstrate the procedures for a return to airport simulating a loss of engine power after takeoff (downwind landing). At 400 feet the pilot reduced power to idle and executed a 45-degree right turn back towards the runway. The airplane touched down on the main gear about halfway down the runway and immediately swerved to the left. The pilot applied full right brake and rudder control. The left wheel exited the runway on the north side. The pilot was able to maneuver the airplane back onto the runway and realized that the airplane was heading towards the drainage ditch off the end of the runway. With about 1,000 feet of runway left he applied full power and set best climb attitude, but the airplane was not able to clear the fence at the airport perimeter resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage and wings. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N34341
- Reported as
- Meyers OTW 160
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 86
- Built
- 1943
- Airframe hours
- 1,146
- Engine
- Kinner Kinner R-56, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Dodd Lee P Jr
- Registered owner
- Dodd Lee P Jr
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 25, 2013
- Departed
- KTSP · Tehachapi, CA
- Destination
- KTSP · Tehachapi, CA
- Airport
- KTSP · Tehachapi, runway 11, 4,041 × 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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 74
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 8, 2012
- Seat
- Rear
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 4,300 total · 700 in this make and model
- Role
- Pilot-rated passenger
- Age
- 61
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Unknown
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 13 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility
- 9 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.11 inHg
- Observed at
- KTSP
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 7, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.7 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.