Murphy Aircraft Murphy Rebel accident near Grass Valley, California, April 17, 2008
On April 17, 2008 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Murphy Aircraft Murphy Rebel, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N3VK, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Grass Valley, California (Nevada County Air Park 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
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 17, 2008 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Grass Valley, California · Nevada County Air Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Murphy Aircraft Murphy Rebel, amateur-built
- Registration
- N3VK · no longer on the register · serial 001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was attempting to land the tailwheel equipped airplane on an upsloping runway. The airplane touched down normally on the asphalt runway surface. During the landing roll the airplane began to ground loop. The pilot added power in an effort to recover and the airplane continued off the runway surface and encountered a ditch, incurring damage to the left fuselage structure. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine. He added that the wind conditions were light and variable.
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 during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Operating environment › Airport facilities/design › (general) › Not specified
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 326 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: O27 Oakdale CA
- Destination: GOO Grass Valley CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 07, 4,350 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.