Bakers Field Airpark Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bakersfield, California 93307
Sunday, July 7, 1985 19:17 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ON JULY 7, 1985, AT 1917 PDT, A POLLIWAGEN, N81PW, COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND DURING AN ATTEMPTED GO AROUND AT BAKERSFIELDAIRPARK, BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA, WHILE ON A PERSONAL FLIGHT. VMC PREVAILED AT THE TIME; NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT FRESNO, CALIFORNIA, AT ABOUT 1800 PDT. A WITNESS STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT MADE A NORMAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 30 AND WHEN IT WAS 10 TO 15 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, THE PILOT ADDED POWER TO MAKE A GO AROUND. THE AIRCRAFT REPORTEDLY CLIMBED TO ABOUT 100 TO 150 FEET AGL. THE WITNESS LOST SIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT AT THAT TIME BUT STATED THAT HE HEARD THE ENGINE BACKFIRE 2 OR 3 TIMES AND THEN HEARD THE IMPACT. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST ADJACENT TO AN FAA HANGAR. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT INSIDE THE HANGAR. HOWEVER, THE AIRCRAFT BURNED AND A DEMPSEY DUMSPSTER AND AN UNOCCUPIED PARKED AUTOMOBILE WERE DAMAGED BY FIRE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/7/1985
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1917
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City BAKERSFIELD
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93307
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BAKERS FIELD AIRPARK
Event Location Nearest Airport ID L45
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 378
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1852 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 315
Weather Observation Facility ID BFL
Elevation of weather observation facility 490
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 7
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
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) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 33
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2380
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 7 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1934
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 29793
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N81PW
NTSB Number LAX85FA310
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Polliwagen Inc.
Aircraft Model UNKNOWN
Aircraft Series Identifier UNKNOWN
Aircraft Serial Number 0003
Certified Max Gross Weight 1350
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 19 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 30
Airframe Hours 317
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name POLLIWAGEN, INC
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 860
Operator City MURRIETA
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 No
Departure Airport Code FAT
Departure City FRESNO
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1800
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code L86
Destination City MURRIETA
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 31
Runway Length 3150
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --