Hollister Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hollister, California 95024
Saturday, September 26, 1992 13:03 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE AIRPLANE WAS MAKING A LANDING APPROACH LESS THAN A MILE FROM THE AIRPORT WHEN IT STRUCK A GUY WIRE AT A HEIGHT OF ABOUT 30 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. THE AIRPLANE WENT INTO AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT UNTIL IT STRUCK THE GROUND. THE WITNESSES REPORTED HEARING THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE RUNNING AT A 'HIGH SPEED' AFTER THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE WIRE. THE AIRPLANE WAS EXAMINED ON-SCENE BY AN FAA AVIATION SAFETY INSPECTOR. HE ATTRIBUTED ALL NOTED DAMAGE TO THE AIRPLANE TO IMPACT FORCES SUSTAINED DURING THE ACCIDENT SEQUENCE AND REPORTED NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT PERFORMING THE FINAL SEGMENT OF A VISUAL APPROACH AT TOO LOW OF AN ALTITUDE RESULTING IN AN INFLIGHT COLLISION WITH A GUY WIRE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/26/1992
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1303
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City HOLLISTER
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95024
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 9
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 Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 130
Airport Elevation 233
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
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 Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 836
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 26 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1515
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47640
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:19PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N25EH
NTSB Number LAX92LA404
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name LANCEAIR
Aircraft Model 235
Aircraft Series Identifier 235
Aircraft Serial Number 014
Certified Max Gross Weight 1400
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name EARL R. HELDT
Aircraft Owner Street Address P. O. BOX 1379
Aircraft Owner City MARIPOSA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95338
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name EARL R. HELDT
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P. O. BOX 1379
Operator City MARIPOSA
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 95338
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 3O7
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 3O7
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 31
Runway Length 3975
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --