Ryan ST3KR accident near Camarillo, California, August 25, 2001
On August 25, 2001 at about 1:20 am local time, a Ryan ST3KR, registered N48742, was substantially damaged in an accident near Camarillo, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The improper fabrication/reassembly and inspection of the engine throttle control linkage during aircraft restoration by the operator, and the failure of the operator's inspection personnel to detect the error during subsequent annual inspections.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 25, 2001 · about 1:20 am local time
- Place
- Camarillo, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ryan ST3KR
- Registration
- N48742 · registry record · serial 1298
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported he was giving rides in the antique aircraft to thank museum volunteers of the Confederate Air Force squadron. Before takeoff, the aircraft was fueled to capacity, which he reported was sufficient for 2 hours endurance. About 20 minutes after takeoff, while in normal cruise flight and without warning, the engine lost power. During the ensuing forced landing in an open field, the landing gear struck a culvert and a wing was damaged. Post-accident inspection revealed that a clevis on the throttle linkage separated from the rod at the cockpit control quadrant. The operator, a (civilian) military aircraft museum, believed that the throttle linkage had been field fabricated, or refurbished and installed during restoration of the World War II-era airplane, 358 flight hours prior. A rivet, intended to lock the clevis to the shaft, was never installed during the fabrication/reassembly of the linkage, and the absence of the rivet was not detected during subsequent annual inspections.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 18,520 hours in all; 175 in this make and model; 235 in the last 90 days; 82 in the last 30 days; 11,099 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
Crew member
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 24,700 hours in all
- Last flight review: April 5, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,512 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 2001; 36 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,850 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Kinner R-56 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CMA Camarillo CA at 1:00 am
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.80 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.