Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hollister, California 95023
Thursday, June 26, 2003 19:24 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot had just departed the airport when the engine started to surge. Upon reducing power and leaning the mixture, the engine smoothed out and the pilot was able to turn the airplane back towards the airport. At 800 feet and parallel to runway 31, the engine quit. During the descent, the airplane clipped a tree and struck a piece of concrete before coming to rest inverted in a field. The pilot stated that the electric fuel boost pump, which was required for flight, was not turned on. A post accident inspection failed to reveal any discrepancies with the engine or the aircraft's fuel system. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunction with the airplane. To prevent similar accident in the future, he recommended turning the electric fuel pump to the "ON" position, prior to departure. The pilot reported the ambient temperature to be 38 degrees Celsius. Item number 5 on the pretakeoff portion of the checklist notes to turn on the electric boost pump.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to follow the checklist and apply the electric fuel pump prior to takeoff, which resulted in vapor lock.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/26/2003
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1924
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Hollister
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95023
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 365336N
Event Location Longitude 1212437W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1853 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 200
Weather Observation Facility ID KSNS
Elevation of weather observation facility 76
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
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) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.9
Density Altitude (feet) 1446
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 16556
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Jun 26 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1940
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Oct 28 2004 10:11AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office WP-SJC-FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N104JM
NTSB Number LAX03LA213
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 MCANALLY
Aircraft Model Glasair JM-1
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 001SH778
Certified Max Gross Weight 2000
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 16 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 8.5
Airframe Hours 285
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name William J Brin
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Hollister
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95023
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code K307
Departure City Hollister
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1920
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 - initial climb
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Sep 11 2004 1:31PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --