Aero Vodochody L39 accident near California City, California, February 26, 2006
On February 26, 2006 at about 4:28 pm local time, a Aero Vodochody L39, registered N39DF, was destroyed in an accident near California City, California. It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight crew's failure to maintain terrain clearance during an intentionally performed course reversal turn at low altitude.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 26, 2006 · about 4:28 pm local time
- Place
- California City, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Vodochody L39 · all L39s on the register
- Registration
- N39DF · no longer on the register · serial 931320
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight crew in the accident airplane and the producer-director in a second camera ship departed for a planned aerial photography flight. During the filming operation, the director issued a series of instructions to the accident flight crew, and the flight crew maneuvered their airplane pursuant to the instructions. After filming for about 1 hour, the producer, who was in the camera ship at 5,500 feet mean sea level (msl), directed that the accident airplane's crew to perform a "sharp snap roll to the right and pull down out of frame." The crew responded by rolling into a right 135-degree bank and descending. During the attempted recovery from the near split "S" course reversal turn, the airplane impacted the underlying 3,100-foot elevation hillside. Cameras in the accident airplane and the camera ship recorded video and audio during the accident flight that was reviewed during the investigation. No abnormalities in the accident aircraft were observed. The severity of the impact and fire damage to flight controls and associated system components precluded confirmation of their preimpact integrity. Examination of available airframe and engine components revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunction.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 5,500 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: fatal
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, military
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,500 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 2005; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Ivchenko AI126TL (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: VNY Van Nuys CA at 3:26 pm
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.