Boeing 707-321B N707AR

Summary

On 19 May 2011 at about 00:27 local time, a Boeing 707-321B registered N707AR, operated by Omega Aerial Refueling Services, Inc., was involved in an accident near Point Mugu, California, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

19 May 2011 at 00:27

Classification

Accident

Location

Point Mugu, California, United States

Nearest airport

Naval Base Ventura County (KNTD)

Coordinates

34.1061, -119.1308

Aircraft

Boeing 707-321B

Registration

N707AR

Category

Airplane

Engines

4

Operator

Omega Aerial Refueling Services, Inc.

Operating rule

Public Use

Purpose of flight

Public Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Pt Mugu → Pt Mugu

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DCA11PA075

3 people had minor injuries.

the failure of a midspar fitting, which was susceptible to fatigue cracking and should have been replaced with a newer, more fatigue-resistant version of the fitting as required by an airworthiness directive. Also causal was an erroneous maintenance entry made by a previous aircraft owner, which incorrectly reflected that the newer fitting had been installed.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The NTSB's full report is available at http://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/reports_aviation.html. The Aircraft Accident Brief number is NTSB/AAB-13/01. On May 18, 2011, about 1727 Pacific daylight time,[1] a modified Boeing 707, registration N707AR, operating as Omega Aerial Refueling Services (Omega) flight 70 crashed on takeoff from runway 21 at Point Mugu Naval Air Station, California (KNTD). The airplane collided with a marsh area to the left side beyond the departure end of the runway and was substantially damaged by postimpact fire. The three flight crewmembers sustained minor injuries. The flight was conducted under the provisions of a contract between Omega and the US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) to provide aerial refueling of Navy F/A-18s in offshore warning area airspace. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Omega, and the US Navy, the airplane was operating as a nonmilitary public aircraft under the provisions of 49 United States Code Sections 40102 and 40125.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.