Flying Ranch Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Wallace, California 95254
Saturday, August 24, 1991 19:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF HIS AIRPLANE AS HE WAS BEGINNING THE TAKEOFF ROLL FROM HIS PRIVATELY OWNED 1200-FOOT LONG DIRT RUNWAY. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THIS AIRPLANE WAS 'NOT ALIGNED' WITH THE RUNWAY, SO HE ABORTED THE TAKEOFF. AS THE AIRPLANE WAS ROLLING TO A STOP ON THE ADJACENT DOWNHILL AND ROUGH TERRAIN, IT COLLIDED WITH FENCE POSTS AND A DIRT BANK WHEREUPON THE MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY ALIGN HIS AIRPLANE WITH THE RUNWAY AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING TAKEOFF. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS RELATED TO THE PRESENCE OF ROUGH AND DOWNHILL TERRAIN ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/24/1991
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1930
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City WALLACE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95254
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport FLYING RANCH
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
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 400
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) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
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 Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2064
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45305
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:39AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N30107
NTSB Number LAX91LA370
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 WACO
Aircraft Model UPF-7
Aircraft Series Identifier UPF-7
Aircraft Serial Number 5504
Certified Max Gross Weight 2650
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
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 Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HENRY W. SMITH
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2695 SHADOW MTN DR.
Operator City SAN RAMON
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 94583
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1930
Departure Time Zone PDT
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 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 1200
Runway Width 40
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --