Flightstar 2 UNREG

Summary

On 21 April 2020 at about 00:45 local time, a Flightstar 2 registered UNREG, operated by Daniel Brittson, was involved in an accident near Oakdale, California, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

21 April 2020 at 00:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Oakdale, California, United States

Nearest airport

Oakdale (O27)

Coordinates

37.7564, -120.7956

Aircraft

Flightstar 2

Registration

UNREG

Category

Airplane

Year built

1997

Operator

Daniel Brittson

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Oakdale → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR20CA127

Nobody was injured.

The noncertificated pilot’s decision to take off through a large helicopter’s rotor wash, which resulted in his inability to gain altitude during takeoff. 

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The noncertificated pilot reported that the airplane departed the runway and that, during the initial climb, it could not gain altitude. He attempted to return to the runway, but the airplane landed hard in an orchard. The pilot later reported that, before takeoff, a large helicopter was hovering close to the runway and that he believed the his airplane "entered…[the helicopter's] rotor wash and lost lift." The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.