Amateur-built MA-5 Charger accident near San Martin, California, April 7, 2007
On April 7, 2007 at about 10:00 pm local time, a amateur-built MA-5 Charger, registered N20HD, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Martin, California (S. County Airport). 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
Carburetor icing conditions which resulted in a loss of engine power during the base turn to final approach. The pilot's inadequate preflight planning/preparation for the flight was a factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 7, 2007 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- San Martin, California · S. County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built MA-5 Charger
- Registration
- N20HD · no longer on the register · serial 0103
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he entered the pattern on left base for landing. During the turn from base to final approach, the aircraft was low so the pilot added power, however, the engine did not respond. The pilot realized that he would not make the runway and chose an open field for an off airport landing. During the landing roll, the pilot intentionally ground looped the aircraft to avoid a collision with a fence. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the right landing gear attach fitting and longeron as well as the right wing tip. After the aircraft was recovered from the field and taken to the airport, the engine was started and found to run without anomaly on the main fuel tank. The pilot reported that after the accident he pulled up the weather current at the time of the accident and compared it to the probable carburetor icing chart, he noted that the temperature and dew point fell into the range of serious icing at glide power. The nearest weather reporting facility indicated a temperature of 70 degrees F. and a dew point of 55 degrees F.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 500 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KRHV San Jose CA
- Destination: E16 San Martin CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 3,100 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 20,000 ft; scat at 3,600 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Observation at 9:47 pm from RHV
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.