Boeing 707-321B accident near Point Mugu, California, May 19, 2011
On May 19, 2011, a Boeing 707-321B, registered N707AR, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Point Mugu, California (Naval Base Ventura County airport). It was a public-use flight under public-use (government) rules. 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the failure of a midspar fitting, which was susceptible to fatigue cracking and should have been replaced with a newer, more fatigue-resistant version of the fitting as required by an airworthiness directive. Also causal was an erroneous maintenance entry made by a previous aircraft owner, which incorrectly reflected that the newer fitting had been installed.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 19, 2011 · cases in 2011
- Place
- Point Mugu, California · Naval Base Ventura County · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 707-321B · all 707-321Bs on the register
- Registration
- N707AR · no longer on the register · serial 20029
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The NTSB's full report is available at http://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/reports_aviation.html. The Aircraft Accident Brief number is NTSB/AAB-13/01. On May 18, 2011, about 1727 Pacific daylight time,[1] a modified Boeing 707, registration N707AR, operating as Omega Aerial Refueling Services (Omega) flight 70 crashed on takeoff from runway 21 at Point Mugu Naval Air Station, California (KNTD). The airplane collided with a marsh area to the left side beyond the departure end of the runway and was substantially damaged by postimpact fire. The three flight crewmembers sustained minor injuries. The flight was conducted under the provisions of a contract between Omega and the US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) to provide aerial refueling of Navy F/A-18s in offshore warning area airspace. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Omega, and the US Navy, the airplane was operating as a nonmilitary public aircraft under the provisions of 49 United States Code Sections 40102 and 40125.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during takeoff defining event
- Runway excursion during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Nacelles/pylons structure › Attach fittings (nac/pylon) › Fatigue/wear/corrosion other cases naming the airframe structure
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Nacelles/pylons structure › Attach fittings (nac/pylon) › Design other cases naming the airframe structure
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Nacelles/pylons structure › Attach fittings (nac/pylon) › Not serviced/maintained other cases naming the airframe structure
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Nacelles/pylons structure › Attach fittings (nac/pylon) › Related records other cases naming the airframe structure
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,117 hours in all; 2,730 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,052 hours in all; 2,101 in this make and model
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Flight Engineer
- Certificate: flight engineer
- Flight time: 9,000 hours in all
- Seat: rear
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 192
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: P & W JT3D-3B (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: P & W JT3D-3B (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 3: P & W JT3D-3B (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 4: P & W JT3D-3B (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Omega Aerial Refueling Services, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: NTD Pt Mugu CA
- Destination: NTD Pt Mugu CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 21, 11,000 ft by 200 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 24 knots, gusting 34
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.75 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
91 documents, released by the NTSB on November 14, 2011. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N707AR: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Boeing 707 9 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Boeing 6,677 aircraft on the register
- Engine: P & W JT3D-3B 3 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Engine: P & W JT3D-3B 3 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Point Mugu Naval Air Station (Naval Base Ventura County) · nearest airport
- Point Mugu Naval Air Station (Naval Base Ventura County) · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in California 9,080 since 1982 · 1,096 in the last ten years
- California 28,112 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/DCA11PA075.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.