Reid-Hillview Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

San Jose, California 95148
Thursday, December 18, 2003 11:30 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane veered off the runway on the landing rollout, struck a taxiway sign, and came to rest inverted. The pilot made a normal, straight-in approach to the runway, where he completed a three-point landing. During the landing roll, the right main gear and wing lifted. He corrected with right aileron, and the airplane began turning to the right. He then applied left rudder; however, he had released backpressure on the stick during the right aileron correction, and the rudder application was ineffective. The airplane then traveled off of the runway. The pilot indicated that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing roll.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/18/2003
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1130
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City SAN JOSE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95148
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 371958N
Event Location Longitude 1214911W
Event Location Airport Reid-Hillview
Event Location Nearest Airport ID RHV
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 133
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1153 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID RHV
Elevation of weather observation facility 133
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.12
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 15206
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Dec 18 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1216
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Mar 30 2004 8:14AM
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 N1338B
NTSB Number LAX04CA070
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 Luscombe
Aircraft Model 8E
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 5695
Certified Max Gross Weight 1400
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 3 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 13.6
Airframe Hours 1805.9
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MICHAEL R. ETTL
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City SAN JOSE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95120
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 3O7
Departure City HOLLISTER
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1045
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code RHV
Destination City SAN JOSE
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - roll
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jan 14 2004 4:59PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 31L
Runway Length 3099
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --