Amateur-built GEE BEE SPORTSTER accident near Watsonville, California, May 23, 1997
On May 23, 1997 at about 10:38 pm local time, a amateur-built GEE BEE SPORTSTER, registered N11044, was substantially damaged in an accident near Watsonville, California (Watsonville Muni 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
an unknown failure of the engine oil system, which resulted in loss of oil and a seized engine.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 23, 1997 · about 10:38 pm local time
- Place
- Watsonville, California · Watsonville Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built GEE BEE SPORTSTER GEE BEE SP
- Registration
- N11044 · no longer on the register · serial X-9
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While the pilot was attempting to land, the engine lost power, and the pilot made a forced landing in a farm field. The pilot stated that he saw something depart the engine and hit the right wing. The right wing dipped and contacted the ground. The aircraft cartwheeled and came to rest inverted. On-scene examination of the aircraft revealed that the belly of the fuselage was covered in oil. No oil was found in the engine, and the engine was seized. The actual cause of the loss of oil was not determined due to the separation of the engine from the airframe. The object that the pilot saw departing from the engine was the propeller, which hit the trailing edge of the right wing, subsequently causing the wing to dip and contact the ground.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,137 hours in all; 9 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 50 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 19, 1997; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Warner SS 50 145 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SAC Sacramento CA at 9:30 pm
- Destination: WVI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 4,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 pm from MRY, 21 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.