Vashon Aircraft RANGER R7 accident near Upland, California, April 18, 2023
On April 18, 2023 at about 11:35 pm local time, a 2022 Vashon Aircraft RANGER R7, registered N349VR, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Upland, California (Cable 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper selection of the mixture control, which resulted in a total loss of engine power and a collision with the airport boundary fence during a forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 18, 2023 · about 11:35 pm local time
- Place
- Upland, California · Cable Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Vashon Aircraft RANGER R7, built 2022 · all RANGER R7s on the register
- Registration
- N349VR · registry record · serial 10202
- 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 while on short final during a normal approach, he accidently pulled the engine mixture control to idle-cutoff and the engine shut down. He was unable to restart the engine and landed short of the runway. The airplane then impacted the airport boundary fence, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane 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
- Engine shutdown during approach (VFR pattern final)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
- Fuel starvation during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Fence/fence post › Contributed to outcome
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 401 hours in all; 38 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 251 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 20, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 37.8 hours
- Last inspection: type not recorded, December 7, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-D (piston); 37 hours total
- Operator: Ckd Engineering LLC DBA
The flight
- Departed from: KCCB Upland CA at 11:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 3,863 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 11 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,800 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 4:35 pm from KCCB
Weather report (METAR): KCCB 182335Z AUTO 26011G16KT 10SM BKN028 BKN038 OVC045 15/08 A2993 RMK AO2
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 WPR23LA159.