Hebb AVID MAGNUM N970JH

Summary

On 17 September 2004 at about 20:41 local time, a Hebb AVID MAGNUM registered N970JH was involved in an accident near Bridgeport, California, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

17 September 2004 at 20:41

Classification

Accident

Location

Bridgeport, California, United States

Nearest airport

Bryant Field Airport (O57)

Coordinates

38.2628, -119.2278

Aircraft

Hebb AVID MAGNUM

Registration

N970JH

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Bridgeport → Grass Valley

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX04LA320

1 person was seriously injured.

the pilot's failure to adequately compensate for the crosswind condition and his failure to maintain an adequate airspeed while using crossed controls, which led to a stall.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

Shortly after takeoff in a 90-degree, 10-knot crosswind the pilot lost control of the airplane and it impacted terrain. The pilot said that during preflight preparations for the accident flight, he noted a crosswind from the left that he estimated to be greater than 10 nautical miles per hour, and at 90 degrees to the departure runway 34. Concerned about the crosswind, the pilot decided not to take passengers on the flight, as he had previously planned. The pilot stated that he was familiar with operating the airplane in similar crosswind conditions, and did not encounter difficulty taxing the airplane to the departure runway. After beginning the takeoff roll and becoming airborne, the airplane was upset and the pilot experienced a loss of control. A witness reported that the airplane took off with an estimated 90-degree crosswind to the runway. The windsock was about 90 percent full. During takeoff, the airplane drifted to the left, and climbed to about 100 feet. The airplane then rolled to the right and impacted terrain nose down, 30 to 40 feet east of the runway. The witness said the rudder was deflected fully to the right, and the right aileron was fully deflected down just before the airplane rolled off to the right and hit the ground. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.