Vans Aircraft RV-3A accident near Bakersfield, California, March 11, 1983
On March 11, 1983 at about 9:05 pm local time, a Vans Aircraft RV-3A, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N630CB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bakersfield, California (Bakersfield). 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 11, 1983 · about 9:05 pm local time
- Place
- Bakersfield, California · Bakersfield · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Vans Aircraft RV-3A, amateur-built
- Registration
- N630CB · registry record · serial RV-3A
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PLT, HE TOOK OFF, CLIMBED TO 1500 FT & SET THE ENGINE CONTROLS AT CRUISE POWER (2500 RPM AT 160 MPH). HE STATED THAT HE THEN TURNED BACK TOWARD THE ARPT & MADE A LOW PASS WITHOUT CHANGING THE POWER SETTING. AS HE STARTED TO CLIMB FROM THE LOW PASS, HE TRIED TO ADD POWER, BUT THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. WHILE MAKING A FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD, THE HOME BUILT ACFT HIT A DITCH & NOSED OVER. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, NO ENGINE LOG BOOK WAS AVAILABLE. INITIALLY, HE SUSPECTED THAT BROKEN, ENGINE MOUNTS HAD AFFECTED THE MIXTURE CONTROL, BUT SUBSEQUENTLY HE BELIEVED THAT CARBURETOR ICE HAD ACCUMULATED. NO OTHER MALFUNCTION OR FAILURES WERE REPORTED. THE TEMP & DEW POINT WERE 64 & 52 DEG, RESPECTIVELY. ACCORDING TO ICING PROBABILITY CHARTS, SERIOUS CARBURETOR ICING COULD HAVE OCCURRED AT GLIDE POWER & VISIBLE ICING WAS PROBABLE AT CRUISE POWER.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 9,260 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 63 in the last 90 days; 9,260 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 40 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 4, 1982
- Maximum gross weight: 1,150 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 3,200 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,800 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from BFL, 7 miles away
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.