Rosamond Skypark Airport, Rosamond, CA

Location :

History :

Rosamond Skypark Airport Today:




Airport Services and Amenities:
Special Events:

Airport Area Accident History:
Accident occurred Tuesday, September 11, 2007 in Rosamond, CA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 11/29/2007
Aircraft: Bell 206-B2, registration: N205LT
Injuries: 1 Minor.
After hover-taxiing to his normal parking spot in strong gusting variable winds, the pilot landed the helicopter. He then rolled the throttle to flight-idle, frictioned the collective down, started the timing for the required two-minute turbine cool down, and leaned forward to tighten the friction for the cyclic. At that point, the helicopter, which still had considerable energy in its slowing main rotor, was hit by a strong gust of wind. The helicopter became momentarily airborne, and collided with a nearby hangar. According to witnesses, the winds at the airport were gusting between the hangars, resulting in sudden strong gusts coming from varying directions.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:

The pilot's inadequate compensation for gusting variable winds encountered after landing. Factors include gusting, suddenly shifting winds, and a hangar near the spot where the helicopter had landed.

===
Accident occurred Saturday, July 14, 2007 in Rosamond, CA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 3/31/2008
Aircraft: Clement Zenith Zodiac CH601, registration: N239PC
Injuries: 1 Minor.
The accident flight was the airplane's maiden flight where the pilot was to complete a series of shallow banks. After doing the predetermined maneuvers, which included four simulated approaches to landing, he descended to traffic pattern altitude. As he maneuvered onto the base leg, he reduced the engine power from about 4,500 rpm to 2,000 rpm. The airplane began to lose a significant amount of altitude, and in response, the pilot moved the throttle control forward. The engine then had a total loss of power. The airplane descended and impacted the roof of a private residence. Examination of the airplane and engine following the accident revealed the upper spark plugs were all a similar black coloration, indicating that the fuel/air mixture was rich. Additional evidence of a rich mixture was found with dark black residue lining the tail pipe exhaust. After starting the engine during a postaccident examination, the throttle control was manipulated and the
engine responded appropriately. The engine emitted a thick white smoke during operation. Investigators noted that when retarding the throttle toward the idle position, the throttle arms did not move against the idle adjustment screw stops. Manual manipulation of both throttle arms to the carburetors' adjustment screws resulted in a loss of power. The same action was repeated four times, producing the same results. The right carburetor bowl contained a brown colored liquid similar in color to a maple syrup; the odor was consistent with a varnished fuel. The left carburetor bowl contained a small amount of fluid that was similar to that of the fluid found in the right carburetor, though a shade lighter in color. The fuel found in the center fuel tank was also varnished. In the 7 months prior to the accident, the engine had only been run on 11 occasions, all on the ground, for a total of 2 hours of operational time.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:

A total loss of engine power during approach due to the improper idle screw/stop adjustment. A factor contributing to the accident was deteriorated fuel.

===
Accident occurred Thursday, May 31, 2007 in Rosamond, CA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 11/29/2007
Aircraft: Piper PA-28-180, registration: N5231L
Injuries: 4 Uninjured.
During takeoff, the airplane collided with terrain off the end of the runway. The pilot reported that the run up checks were all acceptable. When the airplane was approximately 1,200 feet down the 3,600-foot runway, it lifted 5 feet above the runway but would not climb. The airplane drifted to the right while the pilot was checking the control settings and the pilot noted that the airplane was nearing the end of the runway. The pilot applied additional backpressure on the yoke and climbed to 15 feet above ground level. The airplane cleared the fence and then settled in the soft, sandy soil. As the airplane touched down, the right main landing gear dug into the soft sand and the airplane was jerked to the right, suddenly stopping. The pilot reported that he did not notice any change in engine sound during the takeoff. The estimated weight of the airplane was 100 pounds below its maximum gross weight. The density altitude at the time of the accident was
about 4,000 feet mean sea level.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:

The pilot's failure to abort the takeoff due to lack of airplane climb performance, which resulted in a collision with terrain.

===
Accident occurred Thursday, December 04, 2003 in Rosamond, CA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 10/27/2005
Aircraft: Wing Aircraft D-1, registration: N8602J
Injuries: 2 Fatal.
Following maneuvers during an instructional flight under visual meteorological conditions, the airplane departed from controlled flight, stalled, and entered a spin. In the uncontrolled descent, the airplane impacted desert terrain and was destroyed by impact forces. Wreckage was located over a 65-foot-wide, 122-foot-long north-northeasterly path less than 1/4-mile from the last radar recorded location. A circular area around the airplane was devoid of vegetation. The airplane was examined on-scene and following its recovery. Fuselage and cockpit structure was found partially collapsed in a downward direction. The continuity of the flight control system was confirmed, and no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunction was found. The purpose of the flight was for the flight school's instructor to provide initial training to a foreign student pilot, who was an instructor pilot in military aircraft, and to familiarize him with the flight characteristics of
the airplane prior to the student's enrollment in a test pilot program. The foreign pilot was not qualified to act as pilot-in-command of the accident airplane. The flight school's instructor was current in the accident airplane. The syllabus for the planned 1-hour-long familiarization flight included stalls, with the landing gear and wing flaps retracted and extended, in addition to velocity minimum control demonstrations. The instructor pilot was to demonstrate a maneuver followed by the student performing the maneuver. A review of radar data indicated that the airplane was maneuvered through a series of stalls from 0847 until 0853. At 0853:20, the airplane's altitude indicated 5,900 feet. At 0853:49, the altitude indicated 3,500 feet, and the groundspeed decreased to 60 knots, where it remained until the airplane disappeared from radar at 0853:54. The airplane's radar position remained relatively constant during the final seconds of recorded flight,
as the airplane descended at 5,000 feet per minute until impacting 2,600 foot mean sea level (msl) terrain. It was not determined whether one or both of the pilots were handling the controls at the time the spin commenced. Flight records from the test pilot school indicated that the student had accrued one flight in a multiengine airplane, with a flight time of 1.2 hours. His total flight time was about 1,531 hours with the majority of his flight time accrued in F16 type military aircraft. The instructor, who was the director of flight operations and the flying safety officer for the school, had a total flight time of about 5,767 hours. An estimated 122 hours had been accumulated in the accident make and model airplane, with 27.4 of those hours accumulated in the past year. The weight and balance data was found to be within acceptable limits for the flight. The airplane flight manual prohibited the performance of spins. No determination could be made as
to which pilot may have been manipulating the controls at the time of the departure from controlled flight.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:

The flying pilot's failure to obtain/maintain control of the airplane during practice stalls, which resulted in the inadvertent entry into a spin.

===
Accident occurred Friday, March 07, 2003 in Rosamond, CA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 7/31/2006
Aircraft: Cessna 172L, registration: N19770
Injuries: 2 Fatal.
Evaluation of the ground scars and impact signatures on the wreckage established that during the takeoff initial climb from a private dirt airstrip, the airplane stalled and struck the ground in a right wing, nose low attitude, and tumbled. The airplane was destroyed in the post-impact fire. Power lines were noted at the departure end of the runway. The airframe and engine were inspected with no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operations. Cocaine was detected in the pilot's blood, suggesting use within the 4 to 6 hours preceding the accident. Cocaethylene, a substance that is formed only when cocaine and ethanol are simultaneously present, was found in the liver.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:

the pilot's failure to maintain an adequate airspeed during the takeoff initial climb, which resulted in a stall and impact with flat level terrain. Also causal was the pilot's impaired judgment due to recent use of cocaine, and ethanol.

===
Accident occurred Friday, November 15, 2002 in Rosamond, CA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 12/28/2004
Aircraft: Cessna 172M, registration: N548RM
Injuries: 3 Uninjured.
On the landing rollout, after the pilot applied the brakes, the left main landing gear collapsed, which damaged the wing spar. The landing gear strut and associated hardware were examined by the Safety Board Materials Laboratory. The examination revealed that an area of fatigue was noted on the aft outboard side of the upper attachment hole, and displayed corrosion pitting and fatigue cracking. Machining marks were also present, and may have accelerated the corrosion process. The airplane went through a 100-hour inspection 8 months prior to the accident. The inspection included a check of the landing gear.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:

The fatigue failure of left main landing gear strut at the upper fuselage aft attachment hole, which resulted in the collapse of the left main landing gear during the landing roll.

===
Accident occurred Sunday, October 14, 2001 in ROSAMOND, CA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 12/30/2003
Aircraft: Stinson 108-3, registration: N735C
Injuries: 1 Minor, 1 Uninjured.
The airplane collided with terrain and nosed over during an attempted takeoff. The pilot reported that the airplane did not develop sufficient airspeed during the takeoff roll. At the decision point, the pilot noticed a berm that was 2-feet high at the end of the runway. He felt that he did not have enough room to stop so he proceeded at full power and "jerked" the airplane into the air. The airplane started to sink, and he applied full aft elevator. The airplane stalled about 2 feet above the ground, touched down again, and the right main gear struck a bush and sheared off. The airplane came to rest inverted and was consumed by post impact fire. A witness who purchased the engine from the pilot reported that the camshaft had a disintegrated bearing.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:

The pilot's failure to attain sufficient airspeed during the attempted takeoff, which resulted in a stall/mush. The airplane's failure to accelerate was due to a disintegrated bearing on the camshaft. The pilot's failure to make a timely abort decision was a factor.

===
Accident occurred Saturday, December 30, 2000 in ROSAMOND, CA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 1/2/2002
Aircraft: Piper PA-28-140, registration: N61CS
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.
The student pilot had previously practiced a soft field takeoff with his instructor, and he was authorized to attempt the maneuver by himself. The student extended the wing flaps to the customary second notch position and commenced the takeoff roll. The airplane accelerated, its nose pitched upward, and the airplane lifted off the ground in a nose high attitude. As the airplane departed ground effect, its high nose up pitch attitude did not decrease. The airplane yawed left, stalled, and descended until impacting the ground, a tree, and a building.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:

The pilot's improper airplane handling technique and inadequate airspeed during performance of an intentional soft field takeoff.



Rosamond Skypark Airport Approach / Landing: