Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Brackett Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Fontana, California 91570
Saturday, May 4, 2013 11:09 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
On May 4, 2013, about 1109 Pacific daylight time, a Rans S-17 experimental light sport airplane, N6171R, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near a construction site in Fontana, California. The pilot received minor injuries. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no FAA flight plan was filed.
According to the pilot, he departed Brian Ranch airport (CL13), Palmdale, California, about 0930, with an intended destination of Brackett Field airport (POC), LaVerne, California. He climbed to an altitude of 5,500 feet, and flew through the Cajon Pass via the Cajon Pass visual checkpoint depicted on the Los Angeles sectional aeronautical chart. As he approached the southern end of the pass, the engine began to lose power, with the maximum speed decreasing to about 4,500 rpm. The pilot was unable to maintain altitude, and initially believed that he could reach Rialto Municipal Airport (Miro Field, L67), Rialto, California, which was located about 8 miles south of his current position. He verified that the ignition systems seemed to be functioning normally, and confirmed that the cylinder head and exhaust gas temperatures were below their maximum limits. Maximum available engine rpm continued to decrease, to about 2,000 rpm. Shortly thereafter, the pilot realized that he would be unable to reach L67, and then planned for an off-airport landing on a dirt road near a construction site. When the airplane was about 200 feet above ground level, the engine ceased operating. During the "steep descending turn" from base leg to final, the airplane "lurched sharply and descended vertically" to the ground.
A representative of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) responded on-scene to the accident. He determined that there was a combined quantity of about 8 gallons of fuel in the two fuel tanks, and that there were no obvious irregularities with the engine. The owner of the airplane also responded to the accident site, and for safety reasons, he removed the rocket-equipped parachute recovery system from the airplane. The wreckage was transported to POC for a subsequent detailed examination by the NTSB and FAA.
According to FAA information, the airplane was manufactured in 2001, and was equipped with a Rotax 503 series engine. The pilot held an airline transport category certificate, as well as multiple other certificates and ratings. He reported that he had about 8,300 total hours of flight experience. His most recent FAA second-class medical certificate was issued in March 2012.
The 1052 automated weather observation for San Bernardino International airport (SBD) San Bernardino, California, located about 9 miles east of the accident site, included calm winds; visibility 10 miles, few clouds at 2,000 feet above ground level; temperature 26 degrees C; dew point minus 4 degrees C; and an altimeter setting of 29.78 inches of mercury.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Not Yet Reported
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/4/2013 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1109 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | Fontana |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 91570 |
| Event Date Year | 2013 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 340917N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1172724W |
| Event Location Airport | Brackett Field |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | KPOC |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 18 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 1013 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1052 Pacific Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 90 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KSBD |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1059 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 9 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 2000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| 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) | 26 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -4 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | -- |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.78 |
| 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) | -- |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Operations Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 15 2013 5:05PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coos |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N6171R |
| NTSB Number | WPR13LA216 |
| 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 | RANS |
| Aircraft Model | S-17 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 0800015 |
| 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 | 1 |
| 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 | STANBACK CLARENCE F |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | IRVINE |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 92620-2868 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | STANBACK CLARENCE F |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | IRVINE |
| Operator State | CA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 92620-2868 |
| 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 | CL13 |
| Departure City | Brian Ranch |
| Departure State | CA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 930 |
| Departure Time Zone | PDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | KPOC |
| Destination City | La Verne |
| Destination State | CA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 15 2013 5:06PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coos |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |