Bakersfield Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bakersfield, California 93307
Friday, March 11, 1983 13:05 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACCORDING TO THE PLT, HE TOOK OFF, CLIMBED TO 1500 FT & SET THE ENGINE CONTROLS AT CRUISE POWER (2500 RPM AT 160 MPH). HE STATED THAT HE THEN TURNED BACK TOWARD THE ARPT & MADE A LOW PASS WITHOUT CHANGING THE POWER SETTING. AS HE STARTED TO CLIMB FROM THE LOW PASS, HE TRIED TO ADD POWER, BUT THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. WHILE MAKING A FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD, THE HOME BUILT ACFT HIT A DITCH & NOSED OVER. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, NO ENGINE LOG BOOK WAS AVAILABLE. INITIALLY, HE SUSPECTED THAT BROKEN, ENGINE MOUNTS HAD AFFECTED THE MIXTURE CONTROL, BUT SUBSEQUENTLY HE BELIEVED THAT CARBURETOR ICE HAD ACCUMULATED. NO OTHER MALFUNCTION OR FAILURES WERE REPORTED. THE TEMP & DEW POINT WERE 64 & 52 DEG, RESPECTIVELY. ACCORDING TO ICING PROBABILITY CHARTS, SERIOUS CARBURETOR ICING COULD HAVE OCCURRED AT GLIDE POWER & VISIBLE ICING WAS PROBABLE AT CRUISE POWER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/11/1983
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1305
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City BAKERSFIELD
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93307
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BAKERSFIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID L45
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 45
Airport Elevation 378
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 1250 Pacific Standard 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 PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2800
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 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) 704
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 20965
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 N630CB
NTSB Number LAX83LA135
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 Vans Aircraft
Aircraft Model RV-3A
Aircraft Series Identifier RV-3A
Aircraft Serial Number RV-3A
Certified Max Gross Weight 1150
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 Aug 4 1982 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 40
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CALVIN BAKER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2225 PICTORIA DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City BAKERSVILLE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93306
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 Yes - certificate holder
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1250
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 Oct 10 2002 4:07PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 31
Runway Length 3200
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --