Avid Aircraft Mark IV accident near California City, California, December 30, 2005
On December 30, 2005 at about 10:20 pm local time, a Avid Aircraft Mark IV, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N99BK, was substantially damaged in an accident near California City, California (California City Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's inadequate compensation for the crosswind and failure to maintain directional control of the airplane on takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 30, 2005 · about 10:20 pm local time
- Place
- California City, California · California City Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Avid Aircraft Mark IV, amateur-built
- Registration
- N99BK · registry record · serial 1123
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane nosed over after veering off the runway on takeoff. The pilot had a crosswind of 18 knots, gusting to 20 knots, from 30 degrees to his right. On the takeoff roll, the right wing and tail came up, pushing the airplane off the left side of the runway. The airplane nosed over when it entered the dirt. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures.
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
- LOSS OF CONTROL - ON GROUND/WATER during takeoff - roll/run
- ON GROUND/WATER ENCOUNTER WITH TERRAIN/WATER during takeoff - roll/run
- NOSE OVER during takeoff - roll/run
Pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land, none, none, none
- Flight time: 1,263 hours in all; 48 in this make and model; 48 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 1,152 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: class 2
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 48 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, November 1, 2005; 48 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,140 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Bombardier Rotax 582 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: L71 California City CA at 9:00 pm
- Destination: L00 Rosamond CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 6,027 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 18 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°C, dew point 57°C
- Observation at 9:20 pm from L71
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 LAX06CA074.