Amateur-built TBIRDII N31683 accident near Bakersfield, California

Probable cause

The failure of the two pilots to adequately planflight, particularly regarding their roles and responsibilities, which resulted in their failure to maintain sufficient altitude to clear power lines during a low pass.

NTSB analysis

The private pilot, who was interested in purchasing the airplane, met the seller at a dirt airstrip adjacent to the seller's property. For the flight, the seller, who only held a student pilot certificate, was in the left seat, and the buyer, who held a private pilot certificate, was in the right seat. The seller conducted the takeoff and the initial portion of the flight, which were both uneventful. He then turned control of the airplane over to the buyer. After some airwork to get the feel of the airplane, the buyer flew a low southbound pass along the airstrip. The airplane then struck power lines just beyond and perpendicular to the south end of the airstrip and then impacted in a cornfield. The airplane was substantially damaged by the impact and postimpact fire. Postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed that the impact, fire, and recovery damage precluded the determination of any relevant preaccident airplane condition or operability information.

The seller stated that he had warned the buyer about the power lines, but the buyer stated that the only power lines that the seller warned him about ran parallel to the airstrip. The buyer reported that, near the end of the low pass, the engine failed to respond to his command for more power and that he then relinquished airplane control to the seller because he was not familiar with the airplane. Although the seller reported the loss of engine power, he did not report taking or being given control of the airplane near the end of the flight. He further reported that the buyer told him that he (the buyer) had mistakenly reduced power on the engine because of confusion.

Based on the lack of information provided by the pilots regarding the preflight briefing, the buyer's unfamiliarity with the surroundings and the airplane's throttle operation, and postflight statements from the seller, it is likely that the flight was not well planned or briefed, particularly regarding the participants' roles and responsibilities and the presence of potential flight hazards. The limited pre- and inflight coordination between the two pilots resulted in the buyer being unaware of the power lines at the south end of the airstrip and his uncertainty regarding throttle operation, which resulted in the airplane striking those power lines.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR13LA385 for the full record.