Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Gnoss Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Novato, California 94947
Wednesday, March 31, 1999 14:35 PST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot stated that he was landing with a left quartering headwind. He reported that the touchdown was normal, but as he lowered the tail wheel, the aircraft weathervaned to the left into the wind. He applied full right pedal and initiated a go-around. The aircraft left the ground, turned downwind and lost lift. The airplane impacted the drainage ditch area parallel to the runway. There are drainage ditches and levees spanning the entire length on both sides of the runway. The ditches are approximately 6 to 8 feet deep and 12 feet wide, and are about 90 feet from the runway centerline. The levees are approximately 20 feet beyond the ditches. FAA Advisory Circular AC 150/5300-13, regarding runway and taxiway design, indicates the Object Free Area for the accident airport to be 200 feet on either side of the runway centerline. The AC requires the Obstacle Free Zone to be 125 feet on each side of the runway centerline, and states that obstacles within that zone cannot be higher than 3 inches above grade; the sides of the ditches and levee rise about 3 feet above grade.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The failure of the pilot to adequately compensate for the wind conditions and to maintain directional control of the aircraft while landing. A factor is the airport's failure to follow proper procedure in ensuring adequate obstacle and object free clearance around the runway.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/31/1999 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1435 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Standard Time |
| Event City | NOVATO |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 94947 |
| Event Date Year | 1999 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | GNOSS FIELD |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | O56 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 2 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1454 Pacific Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 50 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | APC |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 33 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 14 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 3900 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 3900 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Thin Broken |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 0 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 12 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 4 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 280 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 12 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Unknown |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | 0 |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1248 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Apr 1 1999 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 800 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 16 2001 5:13PM |
| User who most recently changed record | MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N1244C |
| NTSB Number | LAX99LA135 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-22-135 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | PA-22-135 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 22-1047 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1800 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Oct 27 1998 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 59 |
| Airframe Hours | 2057 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | ANDREW D. WAIT/JOHN LONG |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 121 MEADOWCREEK DRIVE |
| Aircraft Owner City | CORTE MADERA |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 94925 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | JOHN LONG |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 6 GREENFIELD COURT |
| Operator City | MILL VALLEY |
| Operator State | CA |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | 94941 |
| Operator Code | |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | Unknown |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | 0Q3 |
| Departure City | SONOMA |
| Departure State | CA |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1425 |
| Departure Time Zone | PST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | O56 |
| Destination City | |
| Destination State | |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 2 2001 10:34AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 31 |
| Runway Length | 3300 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |