Amateur-built GOSHAWK 350 accident near Livermore, California, June 17, 1996
On June 17, 1996 at about 11:35 pm local time, a amateur-built GOSHAWK 350, registered N345RM, was destroyed in an accident near Livermore, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
an overstress failure of the left rudder cable.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 17, 1996 · about 11:35 pm local time
- Place
- Livermore, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built GOSHAWK 350 GOSHAWK 35
- Registration
- N345RM · registry record · serial 007
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was in the process of tightening his shoulder harness by pushing himself back into his seat with his feet on the rudder pedals. As he pushed with both feet he suddenly felt both rudder pedals go all the way to the floor. The aircraft immediately snap rolled to the right and his attempts at regaining control were unsuccessful. He was able to successfully parachute from the aircraft. A postaccident inspection revealed the left rudder cable was separated aft of the left rudder pedal. An examination of the broken cable revealed that the separation showed that individual wires were necked down or had slant fractures, which is typical of overstress separations. There was no evidence of corrosion damage, wear, or deformation.
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: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 2,900 as pilot in command; 1,200 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 710 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 25, 1995; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-P1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LDK Livermore CA at 11:29 pm
- Destination: TCY Tracy CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:47 pm from LVK, 11 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.