Meadown Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bakersfield, California 93308
Sunday, September 30, 2007 18:25 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane porpoised on the runway while decelerating during a rejected takeoff. The pilot did not have the Cessna issued gust lock that fits into the hole in the control yoke. Therefore, he placed a machine bolt into the hole to keep the flight controls steady while he washed his airplane. During the pilot's subsequent preflight and pretakeoff check he failed to observe that movement of the flight controls was restricted. During takeoff, as the airplane became airborne, the bolt's presence was discovered, and the pilot retarded the throttle. The airplane contacted the runway in a nose low attitude and porpoised, thereby bending the firewall and fuselage.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection and pretakeoff checks during which he failed to remove the gust lock.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/30/2007
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1825
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Bakersfield
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93308
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 352601N
Event Location Longitude 1190324W
Event Location Airport Meadown Field
Event Location Nearest Airport ID BFL
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 507
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1855 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID KBFL
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
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) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency --
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 22462
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Sep 30 2007 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Oct 31 2007 7:09AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3580Y
NTSB Number LAX07CA286
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
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 --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 182F
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 18254480
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Troy D. Morris
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City --
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country --
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Bakersfield
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board --
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code BFL
Departure City Bakersfield
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1825
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code DLO
Destination City Delano
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff - roll/run
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 11 2007 4:38PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 30L
Runway Length 3700
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --