Tulelake Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tulelake, California 96134
Thursday, July 10, 2003 6:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot lost control of the airplane during the ground roll portion of takeoff. The airplane veered off the runway and decelerated in an adjacent soft field. The agricultural flight was originating at the time of the pilot's 0600 departure. The pilot acknowledged that had he performed a better preflight inspection, he would not have left the gust lock on the right aileron. During the takeoff roll, the airplane's wingtip contacted the runway. Thereafter, the airplane slid across the ground and came to a stop in an adjacent field.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection and failure to remove the gust lock, which resulted in his loss of airplane control.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/10/2003
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 600
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Tulelake
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 96134
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 415314N
Event Location Longitude 1212134W
Event Location Airport Tulelake Municipal
Event Location Nearest Airport ID O81
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 --
Airport Elevation 4044
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 600 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 297
Weather Observation Facility ID LMT
Elevation of weather observation facility 4095
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 23
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.17
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 16740
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Jul 10 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 645
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2004 11:17AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office WP-FSDO Reno, Nevada

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8912Q
NTSB Number LAX03LA230
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Aero Commander
Aircraft Model S2R
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 1582R
Certified Max Gross Weight 6000
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 Jul 3 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 72
Airframe Hours 8818
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Macy's Flying Service, Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. Box 277
Aircraft Owner City Tulelake
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 96134
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Macy's Flying Service, Inc.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P.O. Box 277
Operator City Tulelake
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 96134
Operator Code MFAG
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code O81
Departure City Tulelake
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 600
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code O81
Destination City Newell
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff - initial climb
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Oct 6 2004 6:07PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 11
Runway Length 3577
Runway Width 44
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --