Reid-Hillview Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

San Jose, California 95122
Tuesady, December 30, 2008 13:06 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot of the motor glider reported that he taxied to a transient parking area with the wings in a folded position. After parking and unfolding the wings, he began to taxi the glider to the active runway. He reported taxiing to the right of the centerline in order to avoid making contact with the hangars to the left. The pilot then looked ahead and observed three airplanes in the run-up area, and shortly thereafter the glider's left wing tip made contact with a hangar. The glider then spun to the left and collided with the hangar. The left wing sustained substantial damage during the accident sequence.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from an obstacle during taxi.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/30/2008
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1306
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City San Jose
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95122
Event Date Year 2008
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 Airport
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1250 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID HRV
Elevation of weather observation facility 135
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 18000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
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) 30.26
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) 25037
NTSB Notification Source FAA Comm Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 14 2009 5:27PM
User who most recently changed record grol
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8679
NTSB Number WPR09CA093
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name STEMME GMBH & CO
Aircraft Model S-10
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 10-39
Certified Max Gross Weight 1880
Aircraft Category Glider
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 25 2008 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 1440
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name Jeffrey A Fox
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Berkeley
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Jeffrey A Fox
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Berkeley
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code RHV
Departure City San Jose
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code RHV
Destination City San Jose
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 13 2009 5:00PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 31R
Runway Length 3100
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --