Amateur-built BERKUT accident near Santa Paula, California, June 29, 1996
On June 29, 1996 at about 11:30 pm local time, a amateur-built BERKUT, registered N260DG, was destroyed in an accident near Santa Paula, California (Santa Paula airport). 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
Loss of engine power during final approach for undetermined reasons. A factor in the accident was the nature of the terrain for the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 29, 1996 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Paula, California · Santa Paula · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built BERKUT
- Registration
- N260DG · registry record · serial 043
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The accident occurred on the airplane's second flight after issuance of an experimental airworthiness certificate. The engine lost power during final approach, and the airplane collided with a tree and an automobile while landing on the center median of a freeway. The reason for the loss of power could not be determined.
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, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 21,000 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 19,000 as pilot in command; 5,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 28, 1996; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-G4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CMA Camarillo CA at 11:00 pm
- Destination: SZP
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 2,500 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:46 pm from CMA, 8 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.