Shafter/Minter Field Airport, Shafter, CA

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Shafter/Minter Field Airport Today:




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Airport Area Accident History:

On March 17, 2010, about 1140 Pacific daylight time, a North American AT-6F airplane, N75AG, sustained substantial damage after impacting terrain while maneuvering about 15 nautical miles west of Bakersfield, California. The airline transport pilot who occupied the front pilot seat and the commercial pilot who occupied the rear pilot seat were killed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight, which was being operated in accordance with Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. No flight plan had been filed. The flight departed the Shafter-Minter Field, Shafter, California, about 1100.

A witness located about 1 mile southeast of the accident site reported that he observed the airplane circling his farm, followed by a low pass at an altitude estimated to be between 150 to 200 feet above the ground. Another witness, who was located about one-half mile south of the accident site, reported observing the airplane circling overhead, followed by a constant, shallow rate of descent before impacting terrain in a shallow nose down attitude. The witness stated that the airplane then bounced once before impacting the terrain a second time, followed by a cloud of dust and billowing smoke.

Two Federal Aviation Administration aviation safety inspectors, who responded to the accident site, reported that an initial assessment revealed that debris was scattered over an area estimated to be about 1,000 feet in length. The inspectors further reported that both wings and the engine had separated from the fuselage, with the fuselage coming to rest on the side of a canal. The inspectors added that the airplane had also sustained thermal damage.

The airplane was recovered to a secure location for further examination.

Accident occurred Monday, July 14, 2008 in Shafter, CA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 8/28/2008
Aircraft: Bell 47G-3B-1, registration: N1390X
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.
The pilot reported that a few minutes after taking off for a nighttime agricultural spray flight over an alfalfa field, the ground illumination lights in his helicopter went out. At the time, he was descending and maneuvering close to the ground on a spray run. The pilot reported that he did not see the field before impacting it with the spray boom. The helicopter rolled over and was substantially damaged.

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

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate altitude while maneuvering. Contributing factors were the failure of the helicopter's lights during the night flight and the effect of that failure on the pilot's visual perception.

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Accident occurred Sunday, June 01, 2008 in Shafter, CA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 7/30/2008
Aircraft: Piper PA-28-140, registration: N28290
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.
The airplane landed hard on the runway. The nose gear collapsed, and the propeller struck the runway. The airplane swerved off the runway before stopping 50 feet later. The pilot stated that the airplane and engine had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight.

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

The pilot's misjudged landing flare that resulted in a hard landing .


Shafter/Minter Field Airport Approach / Landing: