Columbia XJ-7 accident near Camp Pendelton, California, March 13, 1997
On March 13, 1997, a Columbia XJ-7, registered N48RW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Camp Pendelton, California. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
loss of engine power due to an undetermined cause or causes.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 13, 1997
- Place
- Camp Pendelton, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Columbia XJ-7
- Registration
- N48RW · registry record · serial 31399
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot experienced a partial engine failure about 20 minutes after takeoff and made an off airport emergency landing. After touchdown, the aircraft encountered a ditch and nosed over onto its back. An inspection of the aircraft revealed throttle movement in the cockpit did not produce corresponding movement of the butterfly valve in the carburetor throat. The carburetor is designed, however, to automatically go to 80 percent power in the event of a mechanical throttle linkage separation. This was the first flight after an annual safety condition inspection. A review of the aircraft logbooks did not reveal any discrepancies. A final attempt by the operator to diagnose the cause of the engine failure was unsuccessful.
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; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 13,000 hours in all; 60 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 12,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 156 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, March 10, 1997
- Maximum gross weight: 14,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Curtis Wright 1820-86 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CRQ Carlsbad CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.