Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Ells Field-Willits Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Willits, California 95490
Sunday, May 26, 2002 16:30 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot lost directional control and failed to maintain runway alignment while attempting to land, and collided with multiple obstacles on the airport. During the landing flare, about 3 feet above ground level, the airplane encountered a strong wind shear from the west. The airplane turned about 45 degrees to the left. The pilot initiated a go-around by adding full throttle, and applied full right rudder pressure in an effort to regain runway alignment. The main landing gear and flaps remained in the down position, and the airplane did not establish a positive rate of climb. The airplane struck the top of a fuel island and collided with a sign. The airplane made contact with the ground about 50 feet north of the fuel island and slid into a hangar, colliding with an unoccupied car that was parked inside. The pilot did not report any mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions and his failure to maintain directional control. Factors in the accident were the pilot's failure to raise the flaps and the wind shear conditions.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/26/2002 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1630 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | Willits |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 95490 |
| Event Date Year | 2002 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 392705N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1232220W |
| Event Location Airport | Ells Field-Willits Municipal |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | O28 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 0 |
| Airport Elevation | 2063 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1656 Pacific Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 158 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | UKI |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 614 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 21 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 24 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 9 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 330 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 11 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 17 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.91 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 1836 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 15906 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | May 26 2002 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1720 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 29 2004 7:30AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Oakland, CA FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N28145 |
| NTSB Number | LAX02LA175 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Bellanca |
| Aircraft Model | 17-30A |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 80-30986 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3325 |
| 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 | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Mar 26 2002 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 26 |
| Airframe Hours | 2178.8 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Little Lake Pharamacy |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 90 S. Main St. |
| Aircraft Owner City | Willits |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 95490 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | David H. Lovitt |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Willits |
| Operator State | CA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 95490 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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 | O05 |
| Departure City | Davis |
| Departure State | CA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1545 |
| Departure Time Zone | PDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | O28 |
| Destination City | Willits |
| Destination State | CA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Landing - flare/touchdown |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 17 2004 6:19PM |
| User who most recently changed record | COOS |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 34 |
| Runway Length | 3000 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |