Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Livingston, California 95380
Tuesady, July 18, 1989 10:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ON THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED A LARGE PUDDLE OF WATER ON THE RUNWAY AND NOSED OVER. THE RUNWAY WAS LOCATED NEXT TO A FIELD THAT WAS RECENTLY IRRIGATED AND THE PILOT WAS NOT AWARE OF THE PUDDLE OF WATER FROM THE FIELD. HE REPORTED NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S DECISION TO ATTEMPT A TAKEOFF ON UNSUITABLE TERRAIN. A FACTOR WAS THE WATER ON THE AIRSTRIP.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/18/1989
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1000
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City LIVINGSTON
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95380
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 315
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 2
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2284
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 18 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1100
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42392
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:52PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8371K
NTSB Number LAX89DVA08
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name SCHWEIZER
Aircraft Model G-164B
Aircraft Series Identifier G-164B
Aircraft Serial Number 666B
Certified Max Gross Weight 4500
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 23 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 154
Airframe Hours 2046
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BETTENCOURT FLYING SERVICE INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address RR 6 P.O. BOX 686
Aircraft Owner City LAKEVIEW
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97630
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 10831 N. PALM
Operator City DELHI
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 95315
Operator Code PWEG
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City LIVINGSTON
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1000
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 36
Runway Length 2700
Runway Width 48
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --