Private Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Taft, California
Sunday, October 17, 1982 12:45 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON A LOCAL FLIGHT INVOLVING A PARACHUTE JUMPING ACTIVITY. IN ADDITION TO THE PILOT, THERE WERE 12 PARACHUTISTS AND AN OBSERVER ON BOARD. THE PILOT INITIATED HIS TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 18. A WITNESS STATED THAT SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ENGINE POWER WAS REDUCED TO CLIMB POWER, FOLLOWED BY THE GEAR RETRACTION. REPORTEDLY, THE AIRCRAFT HAD CLIMBED TO ABOUT 150 FT AGL WHEN THE NOSE PITCHED UP, TH PLANE ROLLED TO THE LEFT AND THEN IT CRASHED IN A STEEP LEFT BANK, NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOADED WELL BEYOND ITS MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT AND AFT CG LIMITS. THE AMOUNT OF FUEL ON BOARD WAS NOT VERIFIED, BUT EVEN WITH NO FUEL, THE PLANE WOULD HAVE BEEN ABOUT 580 LBS OVER THE MAXIMUM LIMIT. WITH 100 GALLONS, THE ESTIMATED GROSS WEIGHT WOULD HAVE BEEN ABOUT 9939 LBS WITH THE CG AT ABOUT 121 INCHES. THE MAXIMUM CERTIFICATED GROSS WEIGHT WAS 8750 LBS WITH AN AFT CG LIMIT OF 117.6 INCHES. EXTENSIVE GROUND FIRE DAMAGE, BUT NO PREIMPACT, MECHANICAL DISCREPANCIES EVIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/17/1982
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1245
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City TAFT
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1982
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport PRIVATE AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 1254
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 135
Weather Observation Facility ID BFL
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 24
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 71
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 14
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 14
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 3340
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Oct 31 2002 4:04PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N403SE
NTSB Number LAX83FA012
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 Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model C-45H
Aircraft Series Identifier C-45H
Aircraft Serial Number AF-701
Certified Max Gross Weight 8750
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name M.H. YARTER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5212 MOUNT HELENA
Aircraft Owner City LOS ANGELES
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 90041
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name M.H. YARTER
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 5212 MOUNT HELENA
Operator City LOS ANGELES
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 90041
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City TAFT
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1244
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City TAFT
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 18 2002 4:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 18
Runway Length 3300
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --