Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Zamperini Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Torrance, California 90505
Sunday, November 29, 2009 13:45 PST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The Travel Air pilot was taxiing down the 58-foot-wide asphalt lane that stretched between rows of hangar buildings toward a taxiway. Prior to beginning the taxi the pilot had visually checked the lane and had not observed any other aircraft in the lane between his position and the taxiway. The Travel Air is a tailwheel-type configuration, and the pilot was making continuous S-turns to look for obstructions ahead of his position. As he reached the end of the buildings, his propeller collided with the empennage of a stationary Lancair that had been pulled out of the end hangar. The pilot of the Lancair had started his engine and was contacting the Air Traffic Control Tower for a clearance onto the taxiway when the collision occurred. The point of the collision is in a non-movement ramp area not subject to air traffic control separation.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The Travel Air pilot's failure to maintain an adequate visual lookout during taxi.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 11/29/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1345 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Standard Time |
| Event City | Torrance |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 90505 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 11 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | -- |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | Yes |
| Event Location Latitude | 334812N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1182022W |
| Event Location Airport | Zamperini Field Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | TOA |
| 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 | Pilot |
| Time of the weather observation | |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | -- |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | -- |
| 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) | -- |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | -- |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Light and Variable |
| Wind Gust Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | -- |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 26524 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA LGB FSDO |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 7 2010 3:02PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coos |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
||
|---|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
Aircraft #2 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N8700 | N880RS |
| NTSB Number | WPR10CA079A | WPR10CA079B |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None | Unknown |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- | -- |
| Damage | None | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | -- | -- |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | CURTISS WRIGHT | SUTHERLAND RON |
| Aircraft Model | TRAVEL AIR 4000 | LANCAIR 235 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 976 | 88 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- | -- |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No | Yes |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 3 | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | -- | -- |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- | -- |
| ELT Installed | Unknown | Unknown |
| ELT Activated | Unknown | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | SMITH RICHARD CHARLES | VOLK CHRISTOPHER T |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | SAN PEDRO | CARSON CITY |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA | NV |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 90732 | 89701-5057 |
| Operator is an individual? | No | Yes |
| Operator Name | SMITH RICHARD CHARLES | VOLK CHRISTOPHER T |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- | -- |
| Operator City | SAN PEDRO | CARSON CITY |
| Operator State | CA | NV |
| Operator Country | USA | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 90732 | 89701-5057 |
| Operator Code | -- | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No | 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) | Positioning | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | -- | -- |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | TOA | TOA |
| Departure City | Torrance | Torrance |
| Departure State | CA | CA |
| Departure Country | USA | USA |
| Departure Time | -- | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | PST | PST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | TOA | TOA |
| Destination City | Torrance | Torrance |
| Destination State | CA | CA |
| Destination Country | USA | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 7 2010 2:36PM | Jan 7 2010 2:36PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coos | coos |
| Since inspection or accident | -- | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- | -- |
| Runway Width | -- | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No | No |
| Medical Flight | -- | -- |