Amateur-built TBIRDII accident near Bakersfield, California, August 24, 2013
On August 24, 2013 at about 7:15 pm local time, a 2001 amateur-built TBIRDII, registered N31683, was substantially damaged in an accident during prior to flight near Bakersfield, California (Private Airstrip airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the two pilots to adequately planflight, particularly regarding their roles and responsibilities, which resulted in their failure to maintain sufficient altitude to clear power lines during a low pass.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 24, 2013 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Bakersfield, California · Private Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built TBIRDII, built 2001
- Registration
- N31683 · no longer on the register · serial TBII2001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot, who was interested in purchasing the airplane, met the seller at a dirt airstrip adjacent to the seller's property. For the flight, the seller, who only held a student pilot certificate, was in the left seat, and the buyer, who held a private pilot certificate, was in the right seat. The seller conducted the takeoff and the initial portion of the flight, which were both uneventful. He then turned control of the airplane over to the buyer. After some airwork to get the feel of the airplane, the buyer flew a low southbound pass along the airstrip. The airplane then struck power lines just beyond and perpendicular to the south end of the airstrip and then impacted in a cornfield. The airplane was substantially damaged by the impact and postimpact fire. Postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed that the impact, fire, and recovery damage precluded the determination of any relevant preaccident airplane condition or operability information. The seller stated that he had warned the buyer about the power lines, but the buyer stated that the only power lines that the seller warned him about ran parallel to the airstrip. The buyer reported that, near the end of the low pass, the engine failed to respond to his command for more power and that he then relinquished airplane control to the seller because he was not familiar with the airplane. Although the seller reported the loss of engine power, he did not report taking or being given control of the airplane near the end of the flight. He further reported that the buyer told him that he (the buyer) had mistakenly reduced power on the engine because of confusion. Based on the lack of information provided by the pilots regarding the preflight briefing, the buyer's unfamiliarity with the surroundings and the airplane's throttle operation, and postflight statements from the seller, it is likely that the flight was not well planned or briefed, particularly regarding the participants' roles and responsibilities and the presence of potential flight hazards. The limited pre- and inflight coordination between the two pilots resulted in the buyer being unaware of the power lines at the south end of the airstrip and his uncertainty regarding throttle operation, which resulted in the airplane striking those power lines.
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
- Miscellaneous/other during prior to flight defining event
- Low altitude operation/event during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › (general) › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wire › Awareness of condition
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wire › Effect on operation
Other crew
- Certificate: student
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
Other crew
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 423 hours in all; 0 in this make and model; 42 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 423 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 449 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, July 11, 2013; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,036 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912UL (piston); 194 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Business & Pleasure Air Charter LLC
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Bakersfield CA at 7:00 pm
- Destination: NONE Bakersfield CA
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.81 inHg
- Observation at 6:54 pm from BFL, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
Other NTSB records under N31683 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.