Amateur-built RV-6A accident near Baker, California, April 28, 2001
On April 28, 2001 at about 9:05 pm local time, a amateur-built RV-6A, registered N51DA, was destroyed in an accident near Baker, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain an adequate airspeed while maneuvering at low altitude, which led to an inadvertent stall/spin. The wind gusts were a factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 28, 2001 · about 9:05 pm local time
- Place
- Baker, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV-6A
- Registration
- N51DA · registry record · serial 24195
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot lost control of the airplane while maneuvering at low altitude and the airplane descended to ground impact. The pilot was to overfly his son, who was at a remote ranch retreat, so that the son would know to pick him up at the local airport. The airplane flew over the retreat one time and the pilot made radio contact with his son. The pilot was attempting a second pass and he told his son that he could not fly close to the mountains due to the high winds. The pilot did not report any difficulties or performance abnormalities to the son. The son said that as the airplane passed over, it rolled to the left, and then sharply to the right before descending to the ground. Winds at the time of the accident were gusting up to 24 knots at Barstow, California, located approximately 50 miles away.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 950 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 307 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 18, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CNO Chino CA
- Destination: 0O2 Baker CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 18 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.80 inHg
- Observation at 8:54 pm from DAG, 50 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.
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 never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.