Bakersfield Meadows Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bakersfield, California 93308
Friday, March 6, 2009 13:45 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The initial touchdown and landing roll were uneventful, and the pilot applied light pressure on the brakes. He felt the initial deceleration, and then thought that the left brake appeared to operate unevenly with the right brake. At the same instant, the right wing rose off the ground, and the right brake was thus ineffective. The airplane swerved hard to the left. The pilot applied right rudder and right brake as the right wing settled back to the ground; however, the airplane departed the runway surface. The left wing collided with a taxiway sign and sustained substantial damage.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control while landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/6/2009
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1345
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City Bakersfield
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93308
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 352601N
Event Location Longitude 1190325W
Event Location Airport Bakersfield Meadows
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1354 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID KBFL
Elevation of weather observation facility 507
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
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) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 25346
NTSB Notification Source FAA Westeern Pacific Operation
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 6 2009 6:11PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4134B
NTSB Number WPR09CA143
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELLANCA
Aircraft Model 17-31ATC
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 74-31102
Certified Max Gross Weight 3325
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 21 2008 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 4
Airframe Hours 3908
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name David N Crowe
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Carlsbad
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92010
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name David N Crowe
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Carlsbad
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 92010
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City Pauma Valley
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1200
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code BFL
Destination City Bakersfield
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 6 2009 6:11PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 30R
Runway Length 10857
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --