Evektor-Aerotechnik As SPORTSTAR accident near Porterville, California, March 20, 2014
On March 20, 2014 at about 11:50 pm local time, a 2007 Evektor-Aerotechnik As SPORTSTAR, registered N817EV, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Porterville, California (Porterville Muni airport). It was an instructional 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 20, 2014 · about 11:50 pm local time
- Place
- Porterville, California · Porterville Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Evektor-Aerotechnik As SPORTSTAR NO SERIES, built 2007 · all SPORTSTARs on the register
- Registration
- N817EV · registry record · serial 20070817
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot reported that, during takeoff, he felt the airplane dip right. When he reduced the throttle and applied brakes, the airplane suddenly spun left and exited the runway. A witness located adjacent to the accident site reported that he observed the airplane veer left during the takeoff, that he heard the engine power reduce, and that he observed the right main landing gear begin to "flip around" as the airplane exited the left side of the runway. Subsequently, the airplane came to rest adjacent to the runway in the opposite direction of the takeoff; the right main landing gear had separated. Postaccident examination of the airplane did not reveal any preaccident mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Skid marks observed on the runway were consistent with all three tires skidding left to the edge of the runway before the right main landing gear separated. Recorded weather information revealed that, about 5 minutes after the accident, the wind was about 10 degrees left of the runway heading at 6 knots.
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
- Part(s) separation from AC during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
- Runway excursion during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 23 hours in all; 23 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 680 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 28, 2013; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912ULS (piston); 680 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PTV Porterville CA
- Destination: PTV Porterville CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 5,960 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 pm from KPTV
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 WPR14LA141.