Oakdale Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Oakdale, California 95361
Wednesday, March 25, 2009 16:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot noted prior to departure that the winds were about the same as when he landed about 30 minutes earlier. He was departing on runway 28, and the winds were from 320 degrees at 10 knots with light gusts. About 5 feet above ground level after liftoff, the airplane suddenly veered to the left and down into a bowl-shaped depression adjacent to the runway. He recovered to unstable, but level, slow flight just inside the basin with the runway about 12 feet above and to the right of his position. He was approaching the end of the depression and lowered the flaps 10 degrees as he pulled up on the control stick. The airplane cleared the slope, but then the wind pushed it to the left again. The right main landing gear contacted the ground followed by firm contact with the left main landing gear and tailwheel. The tail bounced on the ground and the airplane nosed over, sustaining substantial damage to both wings, right flaperon, fuselage, and vertical stabilizer.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate compensation for the crosswind conditions.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/25/2009
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1630
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Oakdale
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95361
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 374523N
Event Location Longitude 1204801W
Event Location Airport Oakdale
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KO27
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 234
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1553 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 205
Weather Observation Facility ID KMOD
Elevation of weather observation facility 97
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 11
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) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 20
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 25361
NTSB Notification Source Pilot
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 10 2009 4:36PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N392JJ
NTSB Number WPR09CA183
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 None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Denny Aerocraft
Aircraft Model Kitfox III
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 1146
Certified Max Gross Weight 1050
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
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 Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Robert M McGregor
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Palmdale
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93551
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Robert M McGregor
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Palmdale
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 93551
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code KO27
Departure City Oakdale
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1630
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code KL36
Destination City Rio Linda
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 10 2009 4:30PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 28
Runway Length 3020
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --