Consolidated Aeronautics INC. LAKE LA-4-200 accident near Lakeport, California, September 2, 2011
On September 2, 2011 at about 11:50 pm local time, a Consolidated Aeronautics INC. LAKE LA-4-200, registered N80033, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Lakeport, California (Lampson Field Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's decision to continue the takeoff with reduced engine power, which resulted in a collision with terrain during the takeoff initial climb. Contributing to the accident was the partial loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 2, 2011 · about 11:50 pm local time
- Place
- Lakeport, California · Lampson Field Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Consolidated Aeronautics INC. LAKE LA-4-200 · all LAKE LA-4-200s on the register
- Registration
- N80033 · registry record · serial 1019
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Two witnesses watched the airplane take off and observed that the engine was not developing full power. The witnesses reported that the airplane barely cleared the trees, which were located about 950 feet beyond the end of the runway, and a few seconds later, the airplane banked right and nosed down out of sight. When the witnesses arrived at the crash site, the airplane’s engine was still running, and one of the witnesses shut off the fuel to turn off the engine. The pilot reported that the engine lost partial power during the initial climb after takeoff and that there was not enough runway left to put the airplane back down and stop. However, the witness observations indicate that the airplane was likely not developing full power during the takeoff ground roll and the pilot should have been able to abort the takeoff if he had recognized that the engine was laboring earlier in the takeoff roll. Within the 4 months preceding the accident, the airplane had undergone maintenance because the engine was running rough. The maintenance included cleaning of the fuel injectors and fuel screens, overhaul of the fuel servo and the fuel flow divider, and installation of new fuel injector lines. The pilot conducted a test flight of the airplane earlier on the day of the accident during which the engine performed normally. Examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal the reason for the partial loss of engine power.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (partial) during takeoff defining event
- Collision during takeoff/land during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Climb rate › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
- factor Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,300 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 509 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 17, 2010; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,140 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 Series (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Laconia LLC
The flight
- Departed from: 1O2 Lakeport CA at 11:49 pm
- Destination: APC Napa CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 3,600 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 97°F (36°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observation at 11:56 pm from UKI, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR11FA424.