Bowers Fly Baby 1-A accident near Fallbrook, California, March 4, 2012
On March 4, 2012 at about 4:52 pm local time, a Bowers Fly Baby 1-A, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N41017, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Fallbrook, California (Fallbrook Community Airpark 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 did not maintain directional control of the airplane during the takeoff roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 4, 2012 · about 4:52 pm local time
- Place
- Fallbrook, California · Fallbrook Community Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bowers Fly Baby 1-A, amateur-built · all 1-As on the register
- Registration
- N41017 · no longer on the register · serial 67-13
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane veered off the left side of the runway during takeoff and struck an elevated runway light located 600 feet from the end of the runway. The airplane traveled over a shallow grass slope, impacted the hangar door nose first, and embedded itself into the hangar. Both wings separated from the fuselage. The pilot, who was seriously injured, could not recall the events of the accident. A postaccident examination of the airframe revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
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 control on ground during takeoff defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Runway/taxi/approach light › Not specified
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Airport structure › Not specified
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 161 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: August 12, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 780 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 11, 2011
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor A65 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KL18 Fallbrook CA
- Destination: KL18 Fallbrook CA
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 18, 2,160 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 3:54 pm from KNFG, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 WPR12LA122.