Concord Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Concord, California 94520
Friday, December 17, 1999 10:24 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The 40,000-hour airline transport rated pilot attempted to takeoff with the control gust lock installed. He stated to an FAA inspector on-scene that he had forgot to remove the gust lock. He also reported to his insurance company that he failed to remove the control lock well into the takeoff roll. He stated that he reduced the throttle and went over the airport fence and landed on a road. The pilot filed a partial Aircraft Accident Report without a statement.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to use a checklist and remove the control gust lock.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/17/1999
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1024
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City CONCORD
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 94520
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport CONCORD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CCR
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 320
Airport Elevation 23
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1025 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 320
Weather Observation Facility ID CCR
Elevation of weather observation facility 23
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1871
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 17 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1338
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record May 19 2001 4:45AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N738UA
NTSB Number LAX00LA054
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 172N
Aircraft Series Identifier 172N
Aircraft Serial Number 17270237
Certified Max Gross Weight 2220
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 15 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 2
Airframe Hours 4684
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name R. A. BRIDGEFORD, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2030 AIRPORT RD.
Aircraft Owner City NAPA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 94558
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CAESAR J. BERTAGNA
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 17 PINEHURST CIRCLE
Operator City NAPA
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 94558
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code CCR
Departure City
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1023
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code APC
Destination City NAPA
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 19 2001 4:07AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 32L
Runway Length 2800
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --