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 October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 19, 2011
- Place
- Point Mugu, California · Naval Base Ventura County · 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
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Nacelles/pylons structure › Attach fittings (nac/pylon) › Design
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Nacelles/pylons structure › Attach fittings (nac/pylon) › Not serviced/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Nacelles/pylons structure › Attach fittings (nac/pylon) › Related records
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
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number DCA11PA075.