Amateur-built Air Camper accident near Atwater, California, June 1, 2007
On June 1, 2007 at about 6:15 pm local time, a amateur-built Air Camper, registered N86698, was substantially damaged in an accident near Atwater, California (Mccready-Merced, Ca 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
a loss of power due to the failure of the number 2 connecting rod.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 1, 2007 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Atwater, California · Mccready-Merced, Ca · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Air Camper
- Registration
- N86698 · registry record · serial DL1
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane experienced a loss of engine power and nosed over in a field during the forced landing. The pilot reported that after flying for about 40 minutes he noticed the oil temperature gauge begin to rise. He had started looking for a suitable place to land when the oil temperature and engine temperature gauges both went beyond the red line. At 2,500 feet the engine made loud metallic clanking noises and began to shake violently. He shut the engine down and proceeded to make an emergency landing in a plowed field. The airplane nosed over during the ground roll. Examination of the antique Ford Model B engine revealed that the connecting rod for the number 2 piston failed. The time since last overhaul on the engine was 6 hours.
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; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 24,000 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 122.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 2007; 6 hours since
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Ford Model B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KPDT Hollister CA
- Destination: KMCE Merced CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.