Taft-Kern County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Taft, California 93268
Saturday, November 30, 1985 15:30 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE LANDING GEAR INTRANSIT LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND STAYED ON WHEN THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO RETRACT THE GEAR AFTER TAKEOFF. AFTER ALL EFFORTS TO EXTEND OR RETRACT THE GEAR FAILED THE PLT ELECTED TO LAND AT THE ARPT OF DEPARTURE. THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED ON TOUCHDOWN. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT DISCLOSED THAT THE LANDING GEAR DRIVE GEAR FAILED AFTER THE GEAR RETRACTION HAD BEGUN ON TAKEOFF.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/30/1985
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1530
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City TAFT
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93268
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport TAFT-KERN COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID L17
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 875
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1454 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 31
Weather Observation Facility ID BFL
Elevation of weather observation facility 490
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 25
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 865
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 NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2678
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 2 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1300
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 30351
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 N201UH
NTSB Number LAX86LA053
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 MOONEY
Aircraft Model M20J
Aircraft Series Identifier M20J
Aircraft Serial Number 24-0370
Certified Max Gross Weight 2740
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 14 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 660
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLIAM G. SPANGLER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7 WESTPARK WAY
Aircraft Owner City TAFT
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93268
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
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 L17
Departure City TAFT
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1445
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 25
Runway Length 3970
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --