Hollister Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hollister, California 95023
Thursday, February 16, 1995 15:05 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT DURING THE TAKEOFF GROUND ROLL AS IT VEERED SEVERAL TIMES FROM THE CENTERLINE. TWELVE HUNDRED FEET INTO THE GROUND ROLL, THE AIRCRAFT VEERED LEFT AND STRUCK A RUNWAY SIGN. THE PILOT CONTINUED THE TAKEOFF AND EVENTUALLY BECAME AIRBORNE. HE THEN RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT AND GROUND LOOPED DURING THE LANDING. THE AIRPORT MANAGER STATED THAT NINE DAYS BEFORE, THE PILOT HAD GROUND DIRECTIONAL CONTROL PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRCRAFT ON THREE SEPARATE TAKEOFF ATTEMPTS. THE AIRCRAFT GROUND LOOPED OFF THE RUNWAY ON THE FIRST TWO ATTEMPTS. ON THE THIRD TRY, THE PILOT VEERED LEFT OFF THE RUNWAY AND ENTERED A DIRT MEDIAN AREA. THE PILOT PULLED THE AIRCRAFT OFF THE GROUND IN A LEFT, CLIMBING TURN AND NARROWLY MISSED HITTING A HANGAR ON THE AIRPORT. THE PILOT SAID HE JUST BOUGHT THE AIRCRAFT AND WAS TRYING TO BECOME FAMILIAR WITH THE CONTROL CHARACTERISTICS. THE PILOT SAID THE AIRCRAFT HAS AN EXTREMELY SMALL RUDDER AREA AND WAS 'VERY SQUIRRELLY' ON THE GROUND. THE PILOT'S MOST RECENT MEDICAL WAS ISSUED ONE MONTH AGO. THE LAST MEDICAL CERTIFICATE OF RECORD PRIOR TO THAT WAS ISSUED IN 1977. AT THE TIME OF THE 1977 MEDICAL, THE PILOT REPORTED A TOTAL TIME OF 150 HOURS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the aircraft during the takeoff ground roll. The pilot's lack of recent experience is a factor in the accident.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/16/1995
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1505
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City HOLLISTER
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95023
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport HOLLISTER MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 3O7
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 233
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 308
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 21 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 805
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:03PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2103
NTSB Number LAX95LA115
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 SKOV-PAPWORTH
Aircraft Model Q2
Aircraft Series Identifier Q2
Aircraft Serial Number 2103
Certified Max Gross Weight 1000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 20 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 2
Airframe Hours 247
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name THOMAS E. SMITH
Aircraft Owner Street Address 36200 PARADISE RANCH RD, #151
Aircraft Owner City CASTAIC
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91384
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code 307
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1505
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 6350
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --