Budd Lancair Legacy accident near Watsonville, CA
On November 21, 2009, a Budd Lancair Legacy (airplane) was involved in an accident near Watsonville, CA. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- November 21, 2009
- Place
- Watsonville, CA
- Aircraft
- Budd Lancair Legacy · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 36.943°N, 121.784°W
- NTSB ID
- 20091122X63510
Official records · WPR10LA063
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- ATC Personnel Statements: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
- Audio File: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On November 21, 2009, about 1320 Pacific standard time, an experimental Budd Lancair Legacy, N7JX, crashed in an apple orchard 1/4 mile east of Watsonville Municipal Airport, Watsonville, California, after the pilot radioed a distress call reporting a loss of engine power. The commercial pilot operated the airplane under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The pilot was killed, and the airplane was substantially damaged and fragmented. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight originated from Santa Barbara, California, and was destined to San Carlos, California. At 1316, the pilot contacted Oakland flight watch (automated flight service station-AFSS). He declared an emergency and stated that he had lost engine power. He said he was at 10,000 feet, 9.9 miles from the Watsonville Airport, and that he was going to try to make it to Watsonville. Oakland flight watch acknowledged the transmission. The pilot stated that he had a fire, and flight watch told him to squawk 7700. Flight watch followed with another transmission stating that they were getting a center frequency for the pilot to contact. About 1 minute 42 seconds after his initial distress call, the pilot transmitted that he was at 5,000 feet, there was smoke, he could see the Watsonville Airport, and he thought he could make it to the airport. Flight watch responded that they were contacting approach and for the pilot to continue to squawk 7700. The pilot asked flight watch to contact Watsonville Airport, that he did not have
Probable cause
A loss of engine power due to oil starvation and the pilot's failure to maintain airspeed while approaching the landing area resulting in an aerodynamic stall, rapid descent, and collision with terrain.
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Browse: California
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
